The Journal News

 

February 6, 2003

 

To the Editor:

 

On February 6th, today you printed a letter, …Editorial excuses Israeli crimes from one Heather Gibbons. I decry her one-sided hate filled anti-Semitic diatribe. Israel is a democracy, recognizing the rights of all religions and races. It is a multicultural society that has welcomed and nurtured diversity. Has the writer forgotten the Ethiopian and Yemeni rescues and airlifts? Israel accepted the 1947 partition, wherein she was relegated to 17% of the original mandate that included both sides of the West Bank and Trans-Jordan. The Arabs rejected that partition and launched the 1948 war. Since that war infiltrating Arab brigands have murdered and terrorized countless numbers. From 1948 to 1967 the Kingdom of Jordan controlled the West Bank and East Jerusalem, where was statehood and independence for the so-called Palestinians? By the way the name Palestinian was the name for the Jews that lived in that section of the Middle East from Roman times until 1948. Even when the Barak Plan for statehood was offered to the Arafat government, they rejected it with this current wave of mindless brutal terrorism. No state can long endure attacks on its sovereignty. The Arabs rejected statehood for the West Bank because the price of that statehood would be a defacto and dejure recognition of Israel. They never really want to recognize Israel because it would have meant they really lost the 1948 war!

 

 

November 15, 2002

 

The Journal News 

 

 The Free Ride President

 

Now that the election is over and the voice of the people having been heard, what have we been left with? We are left with a President who wants to make his tax-give-away to billionaires permanent. We are left with the shambles of Enron, and his buddies and supporters from the company facing civil and criminal litigation. We are left with Al Qaeda and the illusive Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants blowing up Bali. We are left with a drifting listless economy, federal deficits climbing and states and cities reeling under massive budgetary shortfalls and debt. We are left with 53 millions of our population without health insurance. We are left with the highest unemployment since the first President Bush. We are left with the nation’s equity markets suffering its greatest losses in decades and the President’s former SEC chief dumped amidst election night clamor. Meanwhile on the eve of our new adventure in Iraq, where is the national debate on the “end game” consequences of our expected next “bloodless victory?” When are these problems going to be addressed by our “toothless” over-paid “talking heads” of our media? The press has given our teflon leader a free ride he doesn’t deserve and I think the public deserves better.

 

Richard J. Garfunkel

Statement to the Town Board

June 9, 2004 Meeting

East Rumbrook Park

Submitted by

Richard J. Garfunkel

 

 

My name is Richard J. Garfunkel; I am a resident of Tarrytown, NY. I am a member of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, which serves as an advisory board that works to assist the Parks and Recreation Department. We meet once a month and our advisory board considers problems that range from budgets, to evaluating needs assessments, park-naming policy and oversight regarding the condition of the parks. I also serve, at the pleasure of the Supervisor as a deputy town supervisor regarding his liaison program, and I have been personally working on the creation of a beautification foundation for the Town of Greenburgh and the establishment of a task force on alternate sources for energy.

 

With regards to statements about the condition of Travis Hill Park, made at our last Town Hall meeting, on May 26, 2004, I was asked by Supervisor Paul Feiner to make a personal inspection and report on the condition of that park. With the knowledge of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Chairperson, Mr. Howard Kaplan, I drove to the park the next day, I personally toured the park on my own and with the assistance of two senior Park’s department staff.

 

In deference to statements made about the condition of the park; vis-à-vis, the fields, the trees, the bathrooms, the utility building, the benches, the grills, the tennis and basketball courts, the water fountains, the walkways, the garbage pick-up, and the lighting, I determined visually the following;

 

a)      The grass and ball field was cut and maintained well on a ten-day rotation.

b)      The basketball and tennis courts were in excellent shape along with its fencing, there was a slight bit of bicycle marks on the basketball court, and there was graffiti on the hand-ball court wall. I was informed that the wall would be re-painted.

c)      The toilets were working and they will be sanitized and the walls will be touched up. They were adjusted to come into compliance with ADA regulations.

d)      There are six park benches, and four are of a new plastic composite that are clean. The other two park benches are of wood and will be eventually replaced under normal rotation.

e)      The outdoor grills are typical of open park grills.

f)        The fountains are shut off in the winter and are being turned on. One was in the process of being repaired.

g)      There was no garbage or litter and the parks are cleaned on a regular schedule.

h)      New lighting was put in on a walk path adjacent to the courts.

i)        The trees have grown in, to buffer the neighborhood, after the removal of diseased hemlocks.

 

Overall I found the park in excellent shape and maintained quite well. Every park, including this one, always needs some improvements, and I do take note regarding the condition of the outdoor grills, and the bathrooms. The Chairperson of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board invited individuals to attend the monthly meeting of the Advisory Board at the Multi-Purpose Building at Veteran’s Park. At that meeting I presented my report, which is available to the public and the Town Board. Because of time considerations, the report was not analyzed or approved by the Board before my report. I had submitted my report to the Park Commissioner, Mr. Gerry Byrne’s office on the 28^th of May, last Friday. Mr. Byrne was out of town at that time and we did not speak about the report before the meeting.

 

At the meeting, Ms. Thelma Washington, who was a critic of the park’s condition attended, made her comments, and was engaged in questioning by Advisory Board members, including myself. As a consequence of those interchanges, both the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Advisory Board placed perspectives on the table for review.

 

In conclusion, as a member of the Advisory Board, I have full confidence that the both the Department and the Board will examine closely criticisms made about the park. But I certainly believe that with regards to spending and maintenance of this and every other park, no prejudice, or favoritism has influenced the policy or direction of either the Department or the Board.

 

 

 

 

Response to Bill Bernstein’s remark’s about Fahrenheit 9/11!

June 30, 2004

RJ Garfunkel

 

 

Nobody is selecting Moore to be Secretary of State. I am astounded how bitter and closed minded you have become. No one said the Reserves or Guard were anything but legitimate choices. But, frankly most people including myself could not get into the Guard. Kerry did volunteer; neither you nor anyone can take that away from him. Neither you nor anyone have the right to second-guess his decorations. They weren't given to him because he was rich or a potential politician. Whether his medals or any medals are truly more deserved for his actions, above all of the lost and unrecorded actions by forgotten unrecognized heroes, is irrelevant.  Whether you like Kerry or not, he did serve with distinction in the service and in the Congress. He was reelected many times. I notice that Massachusetts has had and currently has a Republican governor. Therefore people there will vote for the man, over party at times. As you know, more of America has become home to one-party regions. Whose fault is that? With regards to qualifications for the Presidency, we have gone down that path before. GW Bush was no more qualified then Al Gore and he received a lot less votes. Qualifications aside, Kerry went through the primary vetting process and will be nominated, no more no less. If you are happy as a hard-line conservative, with George Bush and his cronies representing your interests, so be it. I am not out to change your mind, only to express my views. I have always respected your intellect and decency, but if you wish to coddle up to the people who support the Bin Ladens and the Saudis, then I am sorry. I assume that you feel that the Saudis represent stability and a constant oil flow to the west, and therefore have to be protected in perpetuity. My friend when one lies down with dogs, they often arise with fleas. I, like every one else, would love to have the “pipeline” open indefinitely without any accompanying baggage. But there is baggage, in the same way that it existed in Iran. Our unconditional support for the Shah resulted in the Iran that we have today. Maybe if we would have insisted that he democratize a bit more, have a bit less corruption and had shared the spoils more equally, the people would not have turned to the Mullahs.

 

So it is nice to have self-interest, but the support of a failed policy to sustain self-interest, usually winds up disastrously.

 

Keep an open mind. Know that I am much more of a middle-roader than you think. Also understand, it is the war on terror that counts and the “money pit” that Iraq has become, could have been handled much better.  rjg 

 

Alabama Judge and the 10 Commandments, a Response

2003

 

 I sure hope that you do not believe that the removal of Alabama's Chief Judge was symbolic of the problems inherent in America today, or a hypocritical reaction to a “patriot's” valiant effort to bring reason, justice and good habits back into the lives of the people who visit his former courthouse? Judge Roy Brown, all political prejudices aside, is a dope. His actions, subsequent protest, failure to obey an order, and conduct reflect moronic and, in my opinion myopic and foolish judgment. Whether “In G-d We Trust” and the block of granite with the 10 Commandments is comparable or incomparable is totally irrelevant. We have many small and large inconsistencies rife throughout our society. Why anyone, in his/her right mind, would sacrifice his career, livelihood, and future, for an issue that is not even debated or even cared about by 95% of the “well-meaning” people of the right or the left astounds me. In most cases his act alone should disqualify himself from any further activities that involve the use of “judgment.” We have recognized grudgingly or not grudgingly over the centuries that we do not believe in the “state establishment of religion, or its support.” Religion, in this country, has intelligently evolved from our non-religious deist-type founders, to be a “private” pursuit, not encumbered or fettered by the state.

 

Personally, I believe in G-d, and I consider myself a G-d-fearing person. I do not believe that the 10 Commandments are a horrible document or even a controversial set of guidelines for our or any society's laws to be based upon. But it is clear that he flaunted the “Establishment Clause”, it is clear that there has been rulings supporting the “Establishment Clause” forever and it is clear that he fought the wrong battle at the wrong time for the wrong reasons.

 

If his reasoning is that “bringing G-D, the 10 Commandments or any other Judeo-Christian teachings into a more prominent place in our secular society or government will make a positive difference,” I believe that he is really on a fool's journey. My sense is that America has immense problems that cannot even be addressed by added “state” encouragement of spirituality. Though in my heart I wish people were more willing to follow the “golden rule” and all that it entails and implies.

 

In regards to America, I can say with complete conviction and belief, that the scandal regarding pedophiliac abuse that the Church has condoned, covered-up and paid hush money in the millions to silence, has dwarfed any of the church/state arguments that have come along. On top of that, our corporate culture of greed, avarice and profligacy has done more to corrupt America than any loss of church going or religious icons could accomplish.  Putting symbolic representations of religious commandment in public places may seem like an intelligent step towards reminding society of its eventual reward for misconduct. But all in all, when a great historical institution of moral rectitude engages in consummate hypocrisy involving our most vulnerable citizens, then we, as a society must really start to worry about moving backwards towards the old European model of state and religious marriage.

 

I do not attempt to know the answers of why in our society, where there is still very heavy church/synagogue attendance, in comparison with the rest of the western world, that our murder, rape, felony, embezzlement, stock and accounting manipulation, price-fixing, and child abuse rates are so much more higher.

 

All in all, the Judge is out of a job, out of a career and still a dope!

       Recent Electoral History

     April, 2004

 

 

 

Thanks for the insightful piece. It does sum up quite well many of the realities hidden by the fog of war, the re-shaping of history and motive, and the fuzzy lines of imitative and responsibility created by the change in administrations. My views, of course, are somewhat tainted regarding George W. Bush and his whole existence. I find him an illegitimate president, who has taken his non-mandate to extremes, and has failed miserably in many areas, domestic and foreign. But, all in all, with that prejudice behind me, I do believe that the Clinton people were limited by his problems emanating from his social indiscretions. Unfortunately the excuse that most politicians' familial situations have been less than orderly does not help Clinton. Clinton was Clinton, and with all his baggage he was still well liked by many. He could have beaten GWB II with a drumstick in 2000, and now in 2004. But all of that is irrelevant. What is most relevant is that because of the impeachment circus promulgated by zealous Clinton haters, as Asa Hutchinson from Arkansas, now a Bush acolyte, as for an example, Clinton was hamstrung and basically crippled. The past is prologue, and without Clinton's foolishness, that sorry episode may have been dodged. But Clinton did lose his large majorities that he enjoyed when he was first elected. (The Senate 57-43 and the House 258-176 in 1992. By 1998 the Democrats had lost over his six years 47 House seats and 12 Senate seats and their majorities had turned to a minority position of 45-55 in the Senate and 211-223-1 in the House.) More or less Clinton's mid-term losses in 1994 were attributed to problems with his health care imitative, Hillary Clinton's controversial image and other missteps. But by 1998 and beyond, like all other two-term presidents, Clinton suffered from a case of political impotence. I have compared all of the two term presidencies from Woodrow Wilson to Clinton (included with that group; Nixon-Ford, FDR's 4th with Truman, and JFK with LBJ) and in the 6th year of those 8-year administrations, all suffered politically. They were either disliked (Truman, LBJ, Ford), sick and ignored (Wilson, Eisenhower) or seemingly out of energy (FDR 1938, Reagan). Clinton was well liked by his supporters but the GOP Congress and the demonization from the impeachment weakened his final years. When he did react with force against Al Quieda, he was accused of attempting to deflect public attention away from his own political problems. I am not trying to whitewash Bill Clinton, whom I personally like. I admired his centrist policies and I agreed with his approach to domestic issues. But in a parallel to FDR's famous Fala speech to the Teamsters in 1944, “The Republican fiction writers inside and outside of Congress…” these GOP fiction writers were out to ruin Clinton, even if they ruined the country. Clinton beat an ineffectual bumbler in George Bush I, who was out of touch with reality. Bush was an appointed flack, who had jumped from a failed Congressional career in Texas, to short stops as the RNC Chair, ambassador to China, CIA Head and finally the appointed VP and chief funeral attendee for 8 years under the great communicator. Now we have the return of Freddy Krueger with little Georgie Bush II, the moron, reformed drunk, womanizer, and rich playboy who ruined the Texas Rangers, but ran away with millions. His claim to fame was being the head executioner of mental defectives as governor of Texas and having a fraudulent record of school achievement. But, of course, money talks and when his primary run in 2000 was being challenged by John McCain, he had the big guns from Enron pump in millions to skewer the senator from Arizona. But, of course, he claimed he never knew Ken Lay and his Enron brigands who later ruined thousands, and crippled an industry. So here we are with terrorists ganging up all over the globe to attack the West, a morass in Iraq and Afghanistan, record deficits and oil prices here in the States and a clown in the White House, who has alienated most of our traditional allies, and is more concerned with the banning of stem cell research than global warming. Here is a guy who talks help for small businesses but has created inheritance tax give-always for billionaires. All in all, his record is sorry. But what is most disturbing is his shameless draping of the bloody flag of 9/11 around his election campaign. Hopefully it will become his political shroud.

Rebuild AmericaEnergy & Environmental Technologies to Boost Your Business

Seminar for Alternate Energy, Conservation and Efficiency

Seminar

June 8, 2004

New York Power Authority  Headquarters

123 Main Street, White Plains, NY

And

Center of Sustainable Energy Seminar

“Hummers and Hot Tubs for China: Will oil demand exceed supply

and what will that mean for New York”

 

At the Bronx Community College

June 17, 2004

Report

To the Superivisor and Town Board

Submitted by

 

Richard J. Garfunkel

 

On June 8, 2004, I attended a seminar held at the offices of the New York Power Authority, which was hosted by the United States Department of Energy, NYSERDA, and the Power Authority. Ms. Pat Courtney, from Mid-Hudson Energy Smart served as the moderator, with the able assistance of Ms. Nikki Coddington, of the Town of Greenburgh’s Energy Conservation Office. Over the course of the day over 150 guests, that included, professional engineers, architects, builders, energy related business people, and other interested persons listened to addresses regarding conservation, efficiency and alternates to fossil fuel use. These of course included; new types of lighting systems, geo-thermal energy, cogeneration, wind-turbines, solar energy, and photo-voltaics.

 

Mr. Angelo Esposito of the New York Power Authority, who stressed the background of energy efficiency promoted by the Power Authority over the past 20 years. That history included the investment of over $1 billion from the State of New York, regarding energy efficiency and conservation. The investing of over $3.5 million in the NYPA headquarters in White Plains in 2002 and the implementing of over 2500 projects throughout New York State. In 2004, alone, over $750 million had been invested in energy related projects that saved over $87 million with a cumulative saving of $600 million through out the state. These efficiencies have been directed towards public buildings, public schools and governmental institutions, and have been responsible for avoiding the dispensing of over 630,000 tons of greenhouse gases.

 

Basically what was stressed, over and over, the necessity of keeping our air clean, finding alternate energy sources to accomplish this end, and reducing our national and state dependency on foreign fossil fuel.

 

Pursuant to that goal, and with the reality of $2.40 gasoline, the specter of record high heating oil and natural gas prices in the heating season, global warming, declining fossil fuel resources and indoor and outdoor pollution, Ms. Courtney introduced the following guests, who were able to demonstrate their expertise and special talents regarding their disciplines with handouts and power point demonstrations.

 

a)      Bud Nicoletti, the City of White Plains- Department of Public Works- public

b)      Ed Smyth, RLW Analytics- energy efficiency

c)      Dominick Aiello, Metro Energy Solutions– performance contracting

d)     David Martindale- Sunwize Energy Systems- photo-voltaics

e)      Jay Busch- Osram Sylvania– Energy efficient lighting

f)      Joseph Borowiec- NYSERDA- cogeneration

g)      John DeLise-Advance Power Systems Engineering– cogeneration/micro-turbines

h)     Michael Sherber, Lentz Engineering Associates-mechanical systems

i)       Rose Dowdy Enlink Geothermal– geothermal

j)       Keith Christensen, Community Energy, Inc.- Renewable energy: wind

 

Commissioner Nicoletti, jnicolet@ci.white-plains.ny.us, 914-422-1210, discussed in depth the efforts the City of White Plains was making with regards to its public buildings, car and truck fleet, water pumps and energy conservation. In its 20 public buildings, Nicoletti stressed their effort to make them energy efficient. He also described in great detail the workings of their VFD water pumps and how they were aligned to perform with seamless efficiency. What he stressed was the necessity of keeping water pressure steady and even throughout the high and low demands reflective of usage during the day. Another interesting aspect was his department’s ability to keep his truck fleet in working condition despite the age of the vehicles. The department has made efforts to lighten the superstructures of his truck fleet with lighter weight metals or plastics to make them more energy efficient. The city also uses smaller garbage trucks to do specific jobs that they are more suited for. The City of White Plains uses special granite curbing stones that are more expensive, but will last much longer than concrete. In the same way they use stainless steel for guard rails, These guard rails need little servicing, do not have to be painted and do not rust. In other words, White Plains’s Department of Public Works is quite cognizant of cost, works to preserve and utilize what it owns, and looks to be efficient in its usage of materials. In other words, use only the energy you need!

 

 

 

 

a)      VFW water pumps in a cascade format, in chiller compressors, in sound retardant rooms

b)      Large ventilated vehicle repair facility

c)      Electronic furnace control, centralized computer, touch tone screens

d)     Improving vehicle efficiency, aluminum, fiberglass, high strength low alloy steel, superior durability and low maintenance

e)      Right sizing vehicles for the proper task, alternate fuels, thinking long range.

Mr. Ed Smyth, of RLW Analytics, ed@rlw.com, 518-880-0331, sponsored by NYSERDA and the NY Energy Smart program, works on commercial energy audits. He tries to alert his clients to what is efficient and what isn’t. In other words energy efficiency can pay high dividends. Smart use: regarding lighting, heating, and reliability with less cost. Small businesses should have energy audits to see where they can save dollars.

 

a)      Excellent return of one’s investment

b)      Overcoming fears; it is not detrimental or competitive with utilities, not about 1970’s style to do without!

c)      Overcoming the fear of poor quality equipment and untested technology

d)     Overcoming the objections of no: time, money or information

e)      The program is yours, it is paid for by the System Benefit Charge, and its part of the NYSERDA EnergySmart program.

f)      It is designed for any small building owners- non-profits-municipalities-places of worship

g)      Low cost returnable audit fee

 

Mr. Jay Busch, of Osram-Sylvania, 69 Pittis Avenue, Allendale, NJ 07402, jay.Busch@sylvania.com, 201-995-1836, works on lighting solutions that include creating more efficient lighting with lower energy costs.  This reduces impact on the environment, is responsive to architectural form and style, and is easy to maintain. There are new generations of lighting that can reduce cost, accommodate needs and safe money. In other words where lighting should be placed, how much is needed, and what wattage is adequate. As for example, sensors could actuate the lighting of infrequently used hallways. Therefore lighting can be turned on and off reflective of need. Lighting that automatically turns on and off when rooms are not in use.

 

a)      Much of what new lighting is rated by color/cri, lumen output, lumen maintenance and life expectancy

b)      Color rendering indices can indicate color shift, better shade analysis, and color temperature

c)      The future of fluorescent lamps/ longer life- reduced wattage T8 systems

 

 

 

 

d)     The changing of fluorescent ballast regulations

1)       By 4-1-05 all ballasts for replacement can still be produced or sold

2)      Eliminates the production for use in new fixtures

3)       By 7-1-10 all production, including replacement ballasts, will cease

e)      Ballast functions; lamp starting voltage, lamp coil heating, limit lamp current after starting

f)      Energy Efficiency- Reducing lamp power by only 1 watt can save

1)       A 500 lamp store (4500 hrs/year)  – $225/yr

2)      A 2000 lamp school (3000 hrs/year)  – $600/yr

3)       A 5000 lamp hospital (8760 hrs/year – $4,380/yr

 

Mr. Michael Sherber, of Lentz Engineering Systems, 20 Tower Lane, Avon, CT, 60001, SherberMike@cs.com, 860-676-9017, market High Performance HVAC Systems, that promote; world-class energy efficiency, good indoor air quality, precise temperature and humidity control, quiet systems, minimize ozone depletion, ease of maintenance, and cost-effective construction. In the past the focus of energy concentrated on energy conservation efforts that; improved envelope design and construction, equipment efficiencies, and reduction of ventilation. Because of this there was inadequate filtration, re-circulation of internal contaminants, and noisy large, energy intensive boilers and chillers. In other words, CATNAP (cheapest available technology narrowing avoiding prosecution).

 

These new or “green” strategies mean the avoiding the need for “high efficiency” boiler and chillers.  A “high efficiency system” with low efficiency equipment beats a low efficiency system with high efficiency equipment every time. In other words evaporative cooling and humidification, displacement ventilation and thermal storage can all sharply reduce both heating and cooling plant size and energy usage. The “green” strategy of dual path ventilation, eliminating terminal reheat, and energy recovery, which recycles heating/cooling energy permits ventilation to be used in spaces while minimizing new energy input. Alternate systems involving regenerative dual path systems, will reduce costs, provide better ventilation and reduce contaminates.

 

a)      Energy Conservation potential- truly “green” system should be able to provide between 50 to 97% reductions in energy use

b)      These systems can be installed at costs equal to or less than conventional designs

c)      Conclusions- standard HVAC systems strategies are not meeting our needs

1)       Conventional HVAC designs are the problem

2)      Energy intensive

3)       Re-circulation degrades indoor air quality

4)      Can be expensive to build and take up too much space

 

 

d)     A regenerative double-duct system can include these benefits

1)       Superior indoor air quality

2)      Greatly reduced energy

3)       Reduced heating and cooling costs

4)      Easy to construct and maintain

5)       Competitive or lower construction costs

6)      Quiet

 

Mr. Joseph Borowiec, of NYSERDA, job@nyserda.org, 866-862-1090 x3381, fax 518-863-1091, specializes in Cogeneration, which combines the use of heat and power. These systems reduce energy-cost, improve power reliability, and increase energy efficiency. At the present time almost 8% of all U.S. electric power, are from CHP, (combined heat and power), decrease energy use by 1.3 trillion BTUS/year, reduce Nox, SO2 emissions, and prevent 35 million tons of carbon equivalent into the air.  Currently the technology is moving from IC engines, to micro turbines to fuel cells. CHP systems make sense in regards to: capacity constrained/high electric demands, high thermal demands, coincidental thermal and electric demands, extending operating hours, and access to fuels.

 

The objectives of NYSERDA’s CHP program:

a)      Provide approximately $15 million per year for support of CHP to bolster NYS economy

b)      Encourage the installation of clean and efficient technologies and applications

c)      Establish a broad portfolio covering various technologies and end-use sectors

d)     Document hurdles and lessons learned from design through implementation

e)      Identify “role model” systems so they can be replicated faster, better and cheaper.

 

Currently NYSERDA will contribute 50% to the cost of selected Technical Assistance Study, up to $50,000.

 

Dominick Aiello, of Metro Energy Solutions, 973-439-7283 x 13, fax 973-439-6998 daiello@metroenergysolutions.com, design and build a Performance Based Project. Metro assumes performance risk and compensation is based on measured performance. Their expertise includes: survey, analysis, engineering/design, project management, installation, 0 & m, m & v, and energy procurement

 

 This is for any organization looking for cost reductions:

a)      Energy

b)      Operations

c)      Maintenance- improving operational equipment

d)     Energy Procurement (purchase or generation)

e)      Upgrading of aging systems and existing buildings

f)      Project financing-little or no upfront funding

g)      Environmental solutions

 

John DeLise, Advanced Power Systems Engineering, 64 Drake Avenue, New Rochelle, NY  10805, idelise@erols.com, 914-712-1591, fax: 914-712-1592, specialize in cogeneration and microturbines. He demonstrated the uses of cogeneration facilities regarding heat recovery.

 

Allied Converters Cogeneration Facility Heat Recovery:

a)      Hot water generated from heat recovered from exhaust gas

b)      Provides building heating and thermal energy required to operate lithium bromide absorption chillers.

c)      One Micogen Heat Recovery Unit

d)     Generates 330,000 BTU/hr

e)      100,000 BTU/hr is required to raise 1 million cubic feet 10 degrees Fahrenheit

Allied Converters Cogeneration Facility Electric Power Generation

a)      Two 28 KW Capstone Microturbines

b)      Natural gas fired

Allied Converters Cogeneration Facility Chilled Water for Building Cooling:

a)      Two Yazaki 10 ton hot water fired lithium bromide absorption chillers

b)      45 degree Fahrenheit hot water

c)      Hot water supply must be kept above 167 degree Fahrenheit

It was demonstrated that the installation of these converters could significantly lower electric power consumption along with demand.  Also as natural gas consumption increased from 2003 to 2004 (months Feb, March and April) savings increased.

 

Ms. Rose Dowdy of EnLink Geoenergy Services, 16430 Park Ten Place/suite 600 Houston, Texas 77084, 281-828-3625, fax-282-398-6715, e-mail: rdowdy@enlinkgeoenergy.com Understanding Geothermal Heating and Cooling Systems. Geothermal involves the use of the earth as a heat exchanger, through various techniques that has been a proven technology for over 50 years. A geothermal system provides pumps that can remove heat or add heat to the building. Removed heat must be rejected to outside air, water which subsequently rejects heat to the atmosphere via a cooling tower, or to water and then to the earth.

 

The main benefits of a GHP ( Geothermal Heat Pump) System

a)      Utility reduction (40-60%) of the energy consumption of a building is for heating, cooling and hot water

1)       No water consumption from cooling tower

2)      No gas consumption for heating

3)       Dramatic reduction in electricity demand

4)      Lowering of maintenance costs

5)       Eliminate gas boiler

6)      Free up additional space without a mechanical room

7)      Eliminate the chemical treatment of water

8)      Eliminate water usage

 

b)      Stage 1- the Engineering analysis – looking over the current system and the surrounding environment and locale

1)       Geothermal and Geological testing

2)      Is it in New York?

a)      Merchant Marine Academy

b)      Adelphi University

c)      Long Island University

d)     Westchester Country Club

e)      Saratoga Race Track

 

c)      Stage 2- Drilling, Looping, and Grouting

1)       Driving is done with modern bits that can go down as low as 400 feet for the heat exchanger

2)      Looping and Grouting with EnLink patented cell tubing unit (CTU)

 

 

 

d)     Stage 3- Trenching and Manifolding-well fields and their connections, and the linkage with the buildings

e)      Results of one university project over System Life- Emission Reduction- According to the EPA the following reductions are equivalent to planting 1,944,000 trees or removing 3,888 vehicles from our roads.

1)       Carbon Dioxide in lbs-971, 998

2)      Sulfur Dioxide in grams 617,029

3)       Nitrogen Oxides in grams-861, 661

 

Mr. David Martinadale, of SunWize Energy Systems, 1155 Flatbush Avenue, Kingston, NY 12401, damtindale@besicorp.com, 845-336-0146, specializes in solar technology. Sunwize is a solar technology company, which can integrate systems and serves as a manufacturer and a distributor. Solar is non-polluting, maintenance free, and it can be used in remote areas where power is not easily available. They also have telecommunications applications that include; microwave repeater sites, broadband, and VSATS, and gateways, rural telephony and radio networks. Solar can be used for traffic signboards, intelligent transportation systems, navigation aids and railroad crossing aids. Solar energy can be used also for government applications regarding; water pumping, area lighting, emergency backup power, surveillance and communication. Generally this system costs are $6 per watt and 80% of the of system cost, with an approximate 12 year pay back, bring an 8% return on investment.

 

Again solar could be used for sensitive areas that need perimeter protection, lighting or the need for call boxes. These systems can be tied into the existing power grid to augment existing power, reduce utility load demand, and lessen pollution. There are now solar shingles that aesthetically are more appealing then panels, but they must be attached through the roof decking.

 

Power from the sun is unlimited, the solarvoltaics peak with maximum solar exposure, there is no use of fossil fuel, and these systems are tied to the electrical grid. Under current law New York must buy back excess energy that is generated. The cost of photocells is coming down, and efficiency is increasing. At this time 90% of the photovoltaics are foreign made, with GE now coming into the market place.

 

For residential applications, not e the following

a)      Reduce utility costs

b)      Add value to one’s home

c)      UL listed components

d)     Certified installers

For commercial applications:

a)      Reducing utility expense

b)      Low maintenance

c)      Non-polluting, less cleanup

d)     Rebates and incentives

Funding options are available through NYSERDA, LIPA, NJCEP, CCEF, www.dsireusa.org

 

Mr. Keith Christenson, of New Wind Energy, Community Energy, Inc, 2 Lewis Road, Wappingers Falls, NY, 12590 Keith.Christensen@newwindenergy.com, 845-454-2113, fax: 800-4958048, specializes in wind-driven turbines to create electrical energy. Today 9% of New York State’s energy is derived from oil burning plants, 16% from coal burning furnaces and 29% from 6 nuclear reactors. These emissions from electric generation cause 40% of all carbon dioxide (c02), the leading greenhouse gas, 67% of all sulfur dioxide (so2), the leading precursor of acid rain, and 25% of all nitrogen oxide (nox), the leading component of smog. Because of the acid rain problem in New York State 300 of the 2500 lakes in the Adirondack region have literally devoid of life. Also a consequence of this contamination of our air, now one school age children, in the United States, suffers from asthma. In some urban New York areas, the rate is as high as 25%.

 

The question of “why wind power?” can be addressed by the following:

 

a)      Emission free

b)      Fuel free

c)      Fixed price, no increases

d)     Less Centralized

 

There has been a 90% reduction in levelized costs from 1980. In 1979 the cost was 40 cents/kwh to 4-7 cents/kwh in 2003. There have been estimates that the cost will go down to 2.5 to 4.5 cents by 2010. There are now increase in turbine size, manufacturing improvements and R & D advancement. New York State has wind resources, determined by NYSERDA of 5000 megawatts for land-based turbines (10% of New York’s electrical needs) and another 5200 potential megawatts from off shore wind. One-megawatt wind turbine engine as tall as a Redwood tree, reduces c02 emissions by 6 million lbs/year, and has the same pollution-reducing impact as planting 320,000 trees.

 

The current wind premium costs are the following: residential- $5 per month buys 200 kwh for a home; the average home uses 500 kwh/month. With 100% wind power, the costs are $12.50 per month.

 

Current contributors to the NY State Electrical Grid:

 

a)      26% natural gas

b)      20% nuclear reactors

c)      18% hydroelectric

d)     16% coal

e)      9 % oil

f)      Less than 1% renewable

 

In conclusion, there are many new and old businesses marketing innovative and emerging technologies that can save money for the state, the county, the local town, businesses and for ultimately the consumer and taxpayer. Not all of these technologies have application for everyone. With regards to the issue of fossil fuel, there are some obvious problems ahead. One of these problems is that of supply. There is an increasing worldwide demand from super-populated countries like India and China, which have been developing large consumer demand and have emerged as manufacturing and industrial centers.  This industrialization and consumerism will continue to grow, as hundreds of millions within their borders demand more electrical devices and automobiles. In fact, pollution in these countries has reached alarming levels. Therefore the near term specter of cost reduction in fossil fuel is illusionary. Demand will continue to escalate prices unless alternate sources are found and implemented. Also the relative possibility of political instability regarding main oil producers like; Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Nigeria, Venezuela and Indonesia will continue to put pressure on the future markets. Recent attacks at the Iraqi oil depots of Basra and at the offices of foreign oil management in Saudi Arabia have shaken the future’s markets. Insurance costs rose spectacularly after terrorist launched an unsuccessful, but murderous strike on the Basra port area.

 

As a consequence of the burning of more home-produced coal or foreign oil, pollution will continue to increase. The resulting affect can mean adverse changes in our climate, greater health problems, and the disappearance of more of our lakes, and forests. Also the commercial affect of higher energy prices will adversely impact on current business and any type of industrial expansion in our area. We will become less competitive as a region if our need for imported oil continues along with the domestic shortage of natural gas. Currently, before the sharp escalation of oil prices, the cost of natural gas had already risen dramatically.  Energy intensive businesses will be under greater pressure to relocate out of this region. Also, as a consequence of higher heating costs, more people will be forced to emigrate to milder climes. In other words, being a region that is vulnerable to high imported oil costs will eventually cause economic decline. Currently all of our transportation systems have included “fuel surcharges” to our shipping costs.

 

From a security perspective, the increase in the amount of dependency on nuclear energy is questionable and probably risky. The cost for security is tremendous and the guarantees are not perfect. That cost will continue to escalate in the near and distant future. Today there are many calls for the closing of the nuclear plant at Indian Point. The possibility of a “forced” evacuation from this region is unthinkable. Therefore if security is not almost perfect, the risk of continuing energy from nuclear plants may become economically unjustifiable. In regards to pollution, the rise in medical costs, and therefore the rise in health insurance, may also be a long-term factor in the economic decline of a region.

 

The creation of a greater renewable energy industry will pay high dividends for our region and the state. The lowering of costs through cogeneration, micro turbines, geothermal, along with solar paneling and wind turbines will also result in less pollution and the “end” costs to businesses and the public. A change from a dependency from foreign and domestic fossil fuels must be done. It will pay dividends in the short run and be critical in the long run.

 

In the wake of this seminar at the New York Power Authority, I was invited to the Bronx Community College Campus, at the old New York University Heights location, in the Bronx, to participate in a seminar and luncheon, sponsored by the Center for Sustainable Energy and hosted by the acting director, Dr. James Quigley. The focus of this gathering was to listen to a talk by Alfred Cavallo, PhD, on “Hummers and Hot Tubs for China: When will oil demand exceed supply and what will that mean for New York?” Dr. Cavallo, an energy consultant based in Princeton, New Jersey, recently published an article in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, January/February 2004, entitled “The Illusion of Plenty,” that analyzed in depth the illusion regarding “limitless supplies of fossil fuel.” Dr. Cavallo articulates, in detail, who really controls those resources, and what the current and future demand is for those same resources. Dr. Cavallo makes an excellent case for urgency regarding  “demand” and believes that at our current pace of consumption, along with the continued growth of demand from China and India we all face a “supply” problem sooner than our governments and the oil industry is predicting.

 

Of course, with regards to what Dr. Cavallo states, the world is currently consuming 28 billion barrels of oil per year.  Today, China’s and India’s combined population is 2.3 billion people.  If those two country’s economies continue to evolve, to a European-like life-style, the demand for oil from their populations would equal the same 28 billion barrels that is currently used worldwide! In 2003, China’s oil demand was up 10%, which accounted for one-third of all of the increase in demand worldwide. In the first quarter of 2004 it accelerated to a pace of 17%!

 

Therefore, of course, the question Dr. Cavallo poses, is what are the “real” resources out there, can we really tell with a greater level of accuracy who controls them; and what are the consequences of that control?

 

Dr. Cavallo believes that with today’s sophisticated advances in evaluating potential sites for oil recovery, our understanding of future reserves is much more accurate. In other words, many of the potential places for discovery have been analyzed with a greater level of technology than ever. He looks at three categories of oil; proven, undiscovered, and reserve growth.

 

a)      Plate tectonic analysis

b)      Oil formation- migration, trapping

c)      Major sedentary basins explored, more remote or deeper deposits found and developed

d)     Three and four dimensional seismic surveys actuated-nuclear magnetic resonance

e)      Lateral drilling

f)      Floating platforms, drilling in water up to 8000 feet deep

 

Therefore reserves estimates include information from the following:

 

a)      Government, military, intelligent agencies, industry sources

b)      Information from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) www.usgs.gov.

c)      A five year project to determine “real” reserves

d)     First science-based estimates

e)      The three categories of oil reserves; proven, undiscovered, and reserve growth

f)      The “mean” estimate cannot add all of these together

 

Of course currently the world’s primary energy comes from theses following sources, as of 1999:

 

a)      Oil- 39%

b)      Natural gas 23%

c)      Coal 22%

d)     Nuclear 7 %

e)      Other 9%

 

With regards to these current energy sources, and where they come from, our government estimates that this production will peak in 2037, while the European Community and the CIA’s estimates say 2025! But of course throughout the years there have been many, many estimates and predictions that the world would soon run out of oil. But are the estimates today more accurate? Are the models for future discovery, production and demand more believable? According to Dr. Cavallo we can only assume that “proven” reserves, what is in the ground and “undiscovered” reserves, potentially discoverable, through geological probability can be counted.

 

The “reserve growth” category cannot really be counted because it is not really clear that there is really any oil in those locations and that if there was, new technologies cannot access these resources economically. Currently, as of 1996, the best estimates are that there are 3 trillion barrels oil worldwide. With an optimistic recovery rate of 50% there are, as of 1996, 853 billion barrels in the OPEC producing countries and 769 billion barrels in the non-OPEC producing countries. The former Soviet Union controls 39% of those non-OPEC reserves. Generally speaking production in the United States and the United Kingdom has peaked, while other non-OPEC country’s production has been flat. Of both groups, OPEC and non-OPEC, two realities are apparent, production of non-OPEC oil is at much higher rate, and is being consumed much faster, and the margins regarding OPEC oil are much, much greater. Production costs for the much more easily accessible oil from OPEC (mostly middle eastern suppliers) could range from 5 to 10 cents a gallon!

 

Dr. Cavallo, in his article “The Illusion of Plenty,” says, “Petroleum reserves are limited. Petroleum is not a renewable resources and production cannot continue to increase indefinitely. A day of reckoning will come sometime in the future. The point at which production can no longer keep up with increasing demand will mean a radical and painful readjustment globally to everyday life. In spite of that indisputable fact, people behave as if the global petroleum supply is unending.”

 

With all that in mind, Dr. Cavallo currently discounts our ability to access oil from tar sands and shale economically or with enough speed to match the growth in demand. Therefore his conclusion is that with a demand model, of 1, 2, or 3% growth, we will be in a crisis of supply much sooner than it is currently predicted. He also states that at the current level of production non-OPEC oil producing countries will run out of oil much sooner, and that OPEC will be left controlling the world’s supply. Again, currently with estimates of approximately 1.5 trillion barrels of recoverable oil and a current demand of approximately 28 billion barrels of oil per year, we have 35 years of reserves left. When we take into account the decline in production as reserves peak, the increase in normal demand by the traditional users, and the accelerated demand by the emerging population giants of China and India, the picture looks bleaker.

 

 

 

 

Avraham Burg, Rabbi Edward Schecter and Suicide as a Weapon

 

October 2003

 

My views are that Israel has attempted, from day one to survive as a good neighbor. Basically since 1948 this attitude has been fruitless. Historically, if in 1947 the Arabs would have accepted the partition, Israeli territory would have been only a fraction of what it was after the 1948 War of Independence. The Arabs have never wanted an independent democratic Jewish state. They have always feared western modernism and representative government. Their social order cannot process that post World War II western reality. In a sense a democratic society and elections would probably result in more examples of the Iranian model, which they fear greatly. Since their type of governments can never provide for their people the institutions and reforms that must exist before democracy takes root, reform is impossible. Their societies are doomed to over-population, political crises and an unending struggle between the capitalistic oligarchs and the religious fanatics who offer theological rationalization. Without the free institutions of speech, education, the press, and the ballot, along with the rights of minorities and women, democracy will never take flourish no less exist. Arab/Muslim society can never coexist with our western institutions. To believe that their position, regarding Israel, has or will mature is one of serendipitous folly. In the nine years of so since the Oslo Accords, they armed themselves to the teeth with as much small ordinance that they could smuggle into the West Bank. They are now using that ordinance to sustain the Intifada. In a sense the suicide bombers of Hamas are not unlike the kamikazi aircraft and banzai charges of the of the Japanese military. It was the Japanese hope that at Iwo Jima and Okinawa, cheap suicidal strikes on our fleet would make the price for victory too expensive. In a sense the atomic bomb was a result of the kamikazi attacks. We understood that if we could suffer so incredibly on Okinawa, what would be the result of an attack on the home islands? The answer was a bit simpler in the summer of 1945. We faced the possibility of politically unacceptable losses versus the need to conquer Japan without pre-conditions. But, there is no doubt that their suicidal weapons sent a strong statement to our leaders. Remember in the last month of the war, the United States was losing over 1000 men killed per day in the Pacific. Therefore the option of the atomic bomb became more of a reality.

 

Israel has had to deal with a PLO leadership that has looted billions of dollars that could have been used for the building of stable and durable infrastructure. This infrastructure could have been the foundation for peace and coexistence with Israel as a neighbor. But peace is what they do not want. They want victory! They believe that they have found the soft under belly of their enemy, and they are recruiting endless numbers of children and young people for their suicidal strategic effort. There have been over 18,000 attempts at disrupting the sanctity and stability of normal life in Israel by the PLO, Hamas, Hezbollah, and their fellow travelers. If one believes that negotiation with this current Arab leadership, that smells victory through Israeli divisiveness, can work, then one must believe in the “bigger fool” theory. The Arab/Muslim leadership only respects strength and more strength. Japan and Germany had been involved in limited and then total war for many, many years. Japan had invaded Manchuria in 1931 and continued to fight next in China in 1937, and with us, and the European colonialists since December 7, 1941. Germany had begun its preparation for war in Spain in 1937 and with its invasion of Poland in 1939, had been fighting for almost six years. With their total defeats their population faced and accepted capitulation and change rather than a draconian peace. They were tired of war, exhausted with their dictator's bankrupt philosophies and ready for a new day and a new direction! A change in the old social order was worth the price to end the suffering.

 

The Arab/Muslim leadership has never understood that lesson. They are not forced to understand. Their abused and victimized populations know no better choice. The West, because of its dependency on Middle East oil has tolerated this “bad neighborhood” and its backwardness too long. If we continue to appease the Arab/Muslim “mindset” conditions will worsen. They will feel strengthened by our appeasement, and they will continue to follow their set direction of overpopulation, hatred of anything western, religious fanaticism and “scape-goatism.”

 

Therefore in conclusion, if Israel dismantles it settlements, withdraws unilaterally from the West Bank, and seeks terms with the Arafat government, certain realities will happen immediately. Arab refugee camps will eventually pour into the West Bank, and with these refugees an unlimited flow of arms will follow. The Arafat government will demand the “right of return” for these refugees, the partition of Jerusalem, a land bridge between the West Bank and Gaza and probably reparations for their 50+ years of exile. The West Bank will become an armed belligerent state confronting Israel. Israel will refuse those demands and a continued round of Fedeyeen incursions will ensue; in the same way they did from 1947 until 1956. The Arab world will support the demands of the West Bank Arabs and the cycle will continue, but Israel's strategic position will be fatally compromised. Without a real nation or army to fight, Israel's tactical advantages in equipment and technology will be compromised. They again will be forced to make unpopular, costly and debilitating incursions into the West Bank to counter a better-armed and more determined foe. Therefore the answer is to make the price for the Intifada and its activities to high for the West Bank Arabs to pay. The United States did not tolerate Pancho Villa's raid into Texas in 1914 and sent General Pershing into Mexico with an army to harass and hunt him down. Israel will only retain the respect of the discerning world by strength, self-determination and consistency of purpose. That purpose is to survive freely and independently.

The 2^nd Term Dilemma 1916-2000

                            Delivered at MVHS March 30, 2004

 

Woodrow Wilson vs. Charles E. Hughes  277 49.4%- 254 46.2 %

Election of 1916

Issues: “He kept us out of War”

            Reform government

            8 hour day for RR workers, avoiding costly national strike

            TR supports European intervention, presses Hughes

            Hughes rock solid Conservative

 

2^nd Term: 1918 GOP wins control of Congress

               1919 Strikes, Red-Scare, Volstead Act, rejection of the League and Treaty

               1920 Palmer raids, Deportations, Wilson’s sickness

 

Congress:    D   R       D       R

Wilson’s Election

1912           51-44-1    290-127-18

1914           56-39-1    231-193-8

Wilson’s 2^nd Term

1916           53-42        210-216-6 

1918           47-48-1     191-237-7   (Mid-Term –lost 19 seats House –6 Senate)

                                                       (Lost 99 house seats since 1912 and 9 Senate

Harding’s Election                            seats since 1914)

1920           37-59     131-303-1

1922           43-51-2  207-225-3

Coolidge’s Election

1924           40-54-1  183-247-5

1926           47-48-1  195-237-3

Hoover’s Election

1928           39-56-1  163-267-14

1930           47-48-1  216-218-1

FDR’s Election

1932           59-36-1  313-117-5

1934           69-25-2  322-103-10

Franklin D. Roosevelt- vs.- Alfred M. Landon    523   60.8%- 8  36.5%

Election of 1936

 

Issues: Recovery and its success

             Attacked Hoover and the right wing

             Shifted black voters

             Assailed Wall Street & GOP as economic royalists

             Appealed to pocketbook

             Personality & charm             

 

 

2^nd Term: 1937 Court packing debacle, quarantine speech, Panay incident

                Slowed recovery

                1938 purge of conservative Democrats in primaries backfires, military buildup

                 Starts, HUAC investigations, GOP makes gains in Congress

                1939 Congress passes 4^th Neutrality Act  

               

Congress:    D      R         D       R

1936           76-16-4       331-89-13

1938           69-23-4       261-164-4   (lost 70 seats in the house 7 in the Senate)

FDR’s 3^rd Term

1940            66-28-2       268-162-5

1942            57-38-1       222-209-4

FDR’s 4^th term

1944            57-38-1       243-190-2

 

Harry S Truman vs. Thomas E. Dewey        303  49.5 %     186  45%    39 others  4.5%

Election of 1948

 

Issues: Party of the People vs. the rich, Wall Street Reactionaries

            linked GOP to fascism

            attacked do-nothing Congress, Taft-Hartley

            pro-labor

            Dewey ran laid back over confidant campaign

            Dewey ignored current issues, only spoke of plans for new administration

 

2^nd Term: 1949 Steel strikes labor unrest

               1950 McCarthyism. Korean War, firing of General MacArthur

               1951 inflation, wage & price controls

               1952 Truman seizes steel mills, GOP wins control of both Houses, ist

                           time since 1928,  HST accused of being soft on Communism!

 

Congress:        D       R          D        R

1946                45-51          188-246-1

Truman wins 2^nd Term

1948                54-42          263-164

1950                49-47          234-199 (Mid-Term lost 29 house seats and 5 Senate seats)

Eisenhower Election

1952                46-48-2       211-221-1

1954                48-47-1       232-203

 

Dwight D. Eisenhower vs. Adlai E. Stevenson                     457     57.6 %     73   42.1% 

Election 0f 1956

 

 

 

Issues: Man vs. Party (Democrats)

            Stevenson- end draft, stop nuclear testing, GOP graft & corruption

            Nixon’s dishonesty, Sherman Adams resignation

            Ike’s health, 1955 recession

            Ike’s perceived leadership with worldwide tension-Hungary, Suez

 

2^nd Term: 1957 Little Rock and Civil Rights protests, recession

               1958 Sputnik, US space disasters, Lebanon intervention

               1959 Castro takes Cuba

               1960 U2 Collapse of Summit, recession

               Eisenhower promises smaller government, but expands Social Security

                  Public works, highways, creates HEW

               Ill health plagues 2^nd term

Eisenhower 2^nd Term

Congress:      D      R        D       R

1956               49-47           233-220          

1958               64-34           283-153 (Mid Term loses 50 House seats 15 Senate Seats)

 

Kennedy Election

1960               64-36           262-175

1962               67-33           258-176-1

Lyndon Baines Johnson vs. Barry M. Goldwater          486   61.1%    52   38.5%

Election of 1964

 

Issues: Prosperity, JFK legacy

            Civil Rights

            Goldwater- credibility home and abroad

             Preserved Social security from GOP attacks

 

2^nd Term: 1965 Santo Domingo, rioting Watts, US escalation in Viet Nam

                1966 Democrats gain seats in Congress/black power/ B-52 raids

                1967 Great Society stalled riots in Detroit and Newark

                1968 Pueblo incident, withdrawal from 1968 election

                Social discontent with draft, war, protests, and Cultural Revolution

Johnson Election

Congress:      D    R      D       R

1964               68-32     295-140

1966               64-36     248-187 (Mid-Term lost 47 House Seats and 4 Senate Seats)

 

Nixon Election

1968               58-42     243-192

1970               54-44-2    255-180

 

 

 

Richard M. Nixon vs. George McGovern         520  60.6%    17  37.5%

Election of 1972

 

Issues: McGovernite- radical chic image

             Split in Democratic ranks over primary between HHH and McGovern

           

Issues: Loss of labor to GOP

            Convention disaster in Chicago, dumping of Eagleton

            Creeps use of surrogate, Rose Garden Campaign of Nixon

            Meetings in China and Russia

            Viet Nam continuance

            Water gate break-in

 

2^nd Term: 1973 Watergate scandal breaks open

                 Saturday night massacre

                 Agnew resigns

                 Yom Kippur war, oil embargo, prices leap

                  Impeachment hearings, tapes, 18 minute gap

                  Resignation

Nixon’s 2^nd term

Congress:    D    R        D     R

1972             56-42-2     242-192-1

1974             61-37-2     291-144 (Mid Term lost 58 House seats 5 Senate seats)

 

Carter’s Election

1976             61-38-1     292-143

1978             58-41-1     277-158

 

Reagan Election

1980             46-53-1     242-192

1982             46-54        269-166

Ronald W. Reagan vs. Walter F. Mondale       525  59%    13  41%

Election of 1984

 

Issues:  Reagan’s use of the media

             Control of the media

             Image of a strong America

             Defense build-up, foreign policy action-: Libya, Iran

             Rising deficits,

                         Pride in America vs. liberal weakness and disarmament

 

 

 

2^nd Term: 1985 burgeoning deficit: Gramm-Rudman

               1986 Pollard guilty of spying for Israel, Iran-Contra scandal

               1987 deficit surges, White House staff resignations, stock market crash

               1988 Pentagon procurement scandal, aging and attention issue with

                          Reagan

                1990 Reagan post script- while testifying about Iran-Contra, he

                           Responds on videotape 130 times, “I don’t remember” or “ I don’t

                           Recall”

                          

Congress:  D    R       D     R

1984          47-53       253-182

1986          55-45       258-177  (Lost 5 House Seats and 8 Senate seats)

                                               

Bush Election

1988           55-45      260-175

1990           56-44      267-167

 

Clinton Election

1992           57-43      258-176

1994           48-52      204-230-1

 

Clinton 2^nd Term

1996           45-55      207-226-2

1998           45-55      211-223-1 (Won 4 House seats – no Senate change)

                                                   (Lost 47 House seats from 1992 and 12 Senate seats)

 

Problems of the second term – Sex scandals, Impeachment Crisis, Rising interest rates, end of the tech boom and economic slow-down

 

Bush II Election

2000           50-49-1   212-221-2

2002           48-51-1

 

1996: Benefited from free-ride during primaries

          Built large war chess. Dole wore out in primaries, spent all his funds

          Clinton shifted the debate and captured the center

          Dole moved right in the primaries and attempted to shift to the center at

          The convention. Clinton won the debates: answering questions, praising Dole,

          Keeping the political high road, Clinton’s ads attacked GOP, linking Dole with 

          Gingrich, holding seniors and women

          Clinton focused on “bread and butter” issues: Medicare, education, and environment

           Balancing the budget, job creation

          Dole focused on 15% tax cut, without showing where it could be justified and

          On the character issue-. Dole lost credibility with the public on trust!

         

 

  Presidents and their Intellect

7-16-04

 

 

That's great stuff- I am glad people still think seriously about the IQ and mental health of our leaders. It would surprise me greatly, and almost everyone else I know or have known, that GW Bush had an IQ near JFK. If GW Bush has IQ of 115 and that sounds reasonable, then Bill Clinton has one of 215. I know of no example that GW Bush has ever read a book and that he was by all accounts a barely passing student in college. I do not know what his core curriculum was or whether he just didn't care, as many rich boys (and poor boys) don't. But, all in all, it is the poor boys that must excel to succeed. Certainly Bill Clinton excelled, and was incredibly well read, and his language and overall skills reflected that intellect. Yes he was flawed, like many of us. Of course GWB was a ne'r do well swindler up to age 40 or so, but that takes nothing away from his mental health or supposed IQ. I am one of the vituperative people who think of GWB as a moron or in a nicer sense just a political do-nothing opportunistic flack that got elevated because of his name and money. Of course in his own words, at around age 40, when asked whether he thought about a political career, he stated (I paraphrase) that he had done nothing in his life up to then to justify public office. But good political leaders do not have to be intellects, and in a sense the public has a tendency to mistrust them. Certainly Stevenson was labeled an “egg head” and the country rejected him, by wide margins, over the affable, but non-intellectual Dwight Eisenhower, who favored Zane Grey western novels as a way to intellectually test his gray matter or just relax. He spent more days on vacation, and away from work then any President, except maybe Calvin Coolidge or GW Bush in his term up to 9/11.

 

Jack Kennedy was a bright, and talented young man, who had many more advantages, then most of his presidential peers. His great communicative skills were not hurt by his Hollywood good looks, and he had terrific political instincts fostered by his close connection to world events and the political theater of his upbringing. FDR raised himself to be President in the model of his cousin TR, but JFK, after the death of his brother, was fast-tracked to the job by the incredible heavy-hitting Kennedy political machine. Despite his incredible advantages he still had to produce, and he was quite capable of reflecting those skills on all of his campaign venues. As President he was inexperienced, a bit too young, and therefore pushed around by his own Congress. In a second term he would have had a short window of opportunity to succeed before morphing into lame-duck status. Certainly Michael Dukakis, who was and is quite bright, suffered from some of the same fear that the public has of intellectual superiority. In the modern era, only Teddy Roosevelt, and Woodrow Wilson, two true intellects, were elected to the Presidency. Few people saw TR as an intellect and he was elevated initially by violence, and not the direct will of the electorate. Ironically Wilson, former President of Princeton, an intellectual reformer and a writer, besides being the popular reform Governor of New Jersey, was elected as a true minority President, when his eventual political enemy, the former president, Teddy Roosevelt, split the vote in a three- way election. So we do not have a long wonderful history of electing truly bright people. Maybe, in his own way, Nixon would be considered bright, a law school graduate from Duke, along with the highly educated and successful businessmen and engineers Herbert Hoover and Jimmy Carter. Certainly anyone smart enough to captain a nuclear submarine, and to pass Admiral Rickover's rigorous tests was no dope. But few give him good marks as a President, and he was never perceived by the public as an intellect. Most people saw him as a county-boy peanut farmer! Taft was an educated man, a lawyer, territorial governor, a cabinet official and also a Supreme Court Justice. But no one accuses him of being overly gifted as an intellect. Harding was a political hack, as was Ford, and certainly was Truman, who did not attend college, but was recognized as near-great President but an unpopular one. LBJ was a political animal with a minor college education, who was quite bright, and incredibly energetic and ambitious, but not an intellect. Coolidge was a dour fellow who slept through most of his five years in the job and had little vision or transferable ideals. Reagan certainly would never be accused of being well educated or bright, and was at best a line-reciting puppet with a primitive understanding of almost anything. His familiarity with the scientific world was appalling and his total inability to react with a spontaneous thought was embarrassing. Again he never had high marks regarding his reputation of being well read or even educated. Overall, for my money, he was one of the stupidest men to have held high office in this century. But he was popular, could deliver a quippish line and strangely remains popular today. But history will flay him to shreds and he will fall significantly in the mind of future generations of historians. Of course we are left with one President who has always confounded everyone. FDR, the most successful politician and statesman in the history of the western world, was not an intellect. Everyone remembers Oliver Wendell Holmes “supposed” remark that he (FDR) was “a second rate intellect, but (had) a first-class temperament.” He was reasonably better educated then most, and had very high communication skills. His great strength really resided in his exceptional “people” skills. He knew how to get good people to do good and loyal work. He engendered great loyalty and love from his staff, and even received grudgingly given respect from his political enemies. Even the Japanese, in the midst of the war and on the edge of defeat, offered moments of silence, over the radio, at the news of his death and recognized him as a “great” man. No man in history had the combination of domestic, worldwide and posthumous acclaim. He owned the office and almost no one, even his great and most vicious opponents, could discount his power and skills. In a sense, an eternally healthy FDR would have gone on and on. His supporters were never tired of him, and his opponents were plum worn out by his skills, charm and worldwide support. Today he remains an almost unchallenged icon, far above his contemporaries and all who have followed. Most collective memories of FDR are unique and reverential. Though he was secretive, at times vindictive, and often political too bold, his legacy remains unprecedented and will continue to grow. Where does John Kerry fall in this entire historical context, who knows? But for my money he will be the next President and we will find out soon enough.

 

RJ Garfunkel