Now From Cablevision: Match Game - A Contact Sport?

Many Cablevision Customers awoke last month to find that channel 88, the Game Show Network (GSN) was suddenly blocked on their TV. Many of them assumed, it must be a mistake. Afterall, they have all the basic channels and GSN has been a basic channel since its inception in 1994. So what gives?


Frantic calls to Cablevision's customer service number revealed a little note on the previous month's bill indicating that GSN would become part of the separate "IO Sports PAK" (later renamed as "IO Sports and Entertainment Pak"). This didn't make sense. This ala carte package contains all sports channels with the exception of GSN. It contains, hockey, tennis, horse racing, baseball, golf, and even cricket. The only thing that doesn't fit in the line up is GSN, a network primarily made up of old TV game shows and watched primarily by the over-60 crowd. Not the same demographic that is into contact sports.

Let me point out, that we've stood with Cablevision before, in their disputes with the various networks that have ransomed additional fees for the right to watch their shows. And, we have been crushed each time when Cablevision caved in. But, this channel change just doesn't make sense. It appears as an outright attempt to bolster a failing optional service package at the expense of senior citizens on fixed incomes. They really have no need for any of the other channels but are being forced to purchase them in order to see familiar programming.

To me this move makes as much sense as if they had moved Nickelodeon to the Adult Movie Package. They really should create a true ala carte pricing system. Let us pay $50 a month and pick the 20 channels we want to watch. If we want more channels, we'll pay more. In this way they are not beholding to the networks that want to hold them up for extortion. If ABC or Scripps think their channels are worth more a month, let the consumer actually decide, It will tame the networks' appetite for fees, and increase the quality of their programming when they have to compete directly for the consumers' dollars.

We can all see that this move was nothing more than a blatant grab for cash and I would urge Cablevision to rethink their position on this and return GSN to a more basic tier or at least offer it as a stand-alone option. If they really want to make a Sports Pak, why not take YES, SNY, MSG, ESPN and all the other true sports channels and add them to the package? Then they can reduce the cost of the basic service to those of who do not watch these channels and let those that want it, pay for it.

The Buses Keep Rolling... For Another Month At Least

As an update to my previous post, Big Loss For North Shore Commuters, it appears that there is hope afterall. The following message was recently sent by the good people at Long Island Transit to their riders:

Dear Loyal Patrons of Long Island Transit:

We wanted to let you know that on March 1, 2011, Long Island Transit representatives will be meeting with Edward P. Mangano, the County Executive for Nassau County.  We are hopeful that the concerns raised in yesterday's message can be resolved at that time, if not sooner.  LIT will also be inviting representative members of its ridership to voice any concerns that they may have at that and other meetings.  While nothing has yet been resolved, an open dialogue is a very good first step, and LIT is cautiously optimistic...

It is gratifying to see when government actually works for the people. I applaud the efforts by Mr. Mangano and as well as the other public officials that have been contacted and are working on a long term solution. I hope that today's meeting will be fruitful in saving this much needed service.

I think that recent actions by the MTA proves that additional commuting options are necessary for Long Island to continue to prosper. To be captive to the whims of any monopoly especially those run by the government is not consumer friendly. Take for example the MTA's implementation of a $10 fee for ticket refunds. So, if I want to return a $7.50 ticket, I would have to pay more than the value of the ticket for a refund? Imagine if one of those big box stores tried to implement such a policy, the politicians would be all over themselves to condemn it. Why then does the MTA get a pass on this?

That's why government should continue to encourage the private sector to assist in these areas. Perhaps by relieving the MTA of some of it's burden it can find ways to operate more efficiently. We see it in all other sectors, competition creates innovation. Perhaps when the MTA can longer just write blank checks and needs to compete for riders, maybe then we will see them really begin to become efficient.

In the mean time, I wish the Long Island Transit Company every bit of success. I hope that the actions taken today lead to expansion and profit for them. Hopefully with their success, we will see a real choice in commuter options on Long Island.

Big Loss For North Shore Commuters

For the past two years commuters from the Glen Cove/Roslyn/Port Washington area have had the benefit of an alternative commuter line. A line that has been providing comfortable, reliable service to and from Manhattan each work day. The line features comfortable buses with free wi-fi connectivity, allowing riders to catch up on e-mail or the latest news as the ride their daily commute. Not to mention that this is a private company providing this premium service at a better price than the the Government's MTA system.

So, imagine the commuters surprise when they received this notice from the commuter line just yesterday:
(Long Island Transit, Dear Loyal Patrons...)

"We regret to inform you that due to circumstances beyond our control, Long Island Transit  will be forced to shut down its service at the end of February 2011.  Since January 2009, Long Island Transit has provided an alternative method for commuting residents of Nassau County to travel to Manhattan.  However, Long Island Transit has operated without a contract with Nassau County and the towns and cities it serves for more than a year and has been unable to secure certain governmental incentives that were necessary to continue the service."

Why aren't our elected officials working to save this much needed service? Why are they allowing this service to die? If this service is shuttered, residents are left withe the government monopoly known as the MTA. A service that is more expensive and less reliable the the Long Island Transit Bus. In this difficult economy entrepreneurship should be encouraged and rewarded. Especially when the private business is reaching out into the public sector in an attempt to supplement a needed service.

I ask our elected officials to look into this matter and see what can be done to save the Long Island transit bus. I ask State Senator Carl Marcellino, State Assemblyman Charles Lavine, County Executive Ed Mangano and Glen Cove Mayor Ralph Suozzi to work with the people at Long Island Transit and work out a solution to keep the buses rolling!

And The Biggest Loser Is... The Customer

Well Cablevision and Fox finally settled their dispute and as predicted the loser is the customer. The customer not only had to put up with Fox blocking their programming for two weeks but, now has to pay up to their demands for more money. (http://newsday.com/1.2415067)

In their announcement, Cablevision bitterly complains that they are grudgingly giving in to Fox, although they are not paying as much as Fox wanted but it it still more than they feel they should be paying. If this is true, then why did they settle? True, Dish Network settled quickly but, I would bet that Fox was the more eager party in that negotiation since with two networks were at an impasse, it would have been even more obvious.

I think this is really very sad that the cable industry does not have the guts to really fight it out. In the Newsday article, Broadcasters Keep Upper Hand in TV Disputes (http://newsday.com/1.2416827) (Newsday is owned by Cablevision) it is mentioned, "The law heavily favors broadcasters in such negotiations because they have the ability to black out signals and subscribers are hard to win back if they switch TV signal providers."

However, the cable industry had brought this upon themselves when they sought relief from the "Must Carry" Rule that said that Cable companies must carry the signals of local broadcasters. They wanted to be able to opt out of carrying obscure UHF channels in their areas that nobody watches anyway. Now their stuck with high fees and being forced to carry obscure cable channels that nobody watches because the content providers bundle their services together. So, if you want Fox 5 then you'll have to take NatGeo. So, the cable companies cry "Unfair!" I agree, it is unfair but., where could the content providers have come up with this bundling idea?

Oh, that's right! Bundling is what the Cable Companies have forced upon their customers for most of their existence. It may also be known as Tier pricing. If you want Family Cable then you also have to take the dozen or so shopping channels, the 30 different Sport Channels, etc., etc. It is estimated that the average person maybe watch 10-15 channels regularly. So why do we need 1000 channels? When the cost was cheap and cable was $35 a month nobody really cared. But, now that cable is $150-$300 a month people care.

There is a simple solution but, the cable companies do not want to hear it, even though it would solve their problem of negotiating these deals with the content providers. The answer is a-la-carte pricing. That's right, you pay for the channels you want. If you want to pay $5 a month for Fox, and your neighbor doesn't that's fine. You'll see the Simpsons and your neighbor won't. It would be very simple. Then if Fox increased their price to $10 a month and everyone dropped them, they'll truly learn what their real market value is.

I really don't understand why cable dislikes this model so much. I think this would be the fairest pricing model and one that would make everyone happy. Cable could bill their customers for the service they provide and each individual channel the customer want. Talk about ratings! This would show which networks really are number one. It is technically feasible to accomplish, we just need the cable companies to begin to offer it.

So, what say you cable companies? Let's see a-la-carte programming being offered! Oh, and I should mention that in this article when I say cable companies, I mean any company that connects the consumer's home to the programming whether it be by cables, satellite or fiber.

The Importance of Being Real

A quote in an  article in today's Newsday really struck a nerve with me. As I've written in this blog before, we as a society have really mixed up our priorities. And in an article about the continuing stalemate between Fox and Cablevision, (No World Series on Cablevision as Fox dispute continues) NY Jets Owner Woody Johnson was quoted as saying, "Today I spoke with Cablevision and News Corp. about the importance of broadcasting our game this Sunday..."

I would have loved to hear that conversation to know why it is so important to broadcast a game. I'm sure it is important to Mr. Johnson who may lose ad revenue and endorsements for his team. But, I fail to see how it is important to the average person whether this game is televised or not. Airing this game will not cure cancer, will not end global warming nor will it bring about world peace. Beyond those scenarios, I don't see a football game or any sports game that important.

I know people like their television. They enjoy their shows, heck I'm a Star Trek Fan who has fought and lost the battle to keep my show on the air. I wrote letters, posted messages in discussion boards and even contributed money in a futile attempt to keep the show alive. In the end, the networks did what they wanted anyway. My life continued. Cancelling the series didn't stop me from enjoying my favorite show. In fact the domain this blog is hosted on is a salute to a Star Trek episode. Eventually, the network realized that they needed the fans more than the fans needed them and a new blockbuster movie was released (with a sequel due out in 2012).

My point is, that as fans of TV whether it be Star Trek, Baseball, Football, the Simpsons or even House, I urge you to be patient and let the network stew for a while. They will come around and the shows will be returned for a lot less money. Is Cablevision and Dish looking out for their bottom lines? Absolutely. But Fox is trying to gouge them and I don't blame cable for fighting back. The savings will trickle down, not only for Cablevision and Dish but for all the other cable, satellite and telephone companies out there. Just ask Time Warner, their contract has a "favored nation" clause. So, if Cablevision wins, Fox has to refund them the difference. That's the real reason Fox is fighting so hard. Greed, it's a terrible thing but, a great motivator.

Yellow Light, Red Light, 1, 2, 3

The Nassau County Legislators are patting themselves on their backs for installing red light cameras all around the county. They are so excited at the prospect of bringing in an expected $13 Million in Revenue in 2010 (http://newsday.com/1.2212978) that now they are asking Albany for another $25 Million to put up more cameras (Syosset Jericho Tribune Oct 1, 2010). You'd think they would wait until the program paid for itself. This is another example of government spending gone crazy.

But to the point, is Red Light Cameras for public safety or for government revenue? I think the example above makes it obvious that our legislators love for red-light photography is only equal by their love of green backs. Red light cameras do not make the road any safer. In fact, I would contend that it makes the roads more dangerous as motorists have to worry about the car in front of them slamming on the brakes at the site of yellow. The yellow light was created to avoid such a hazard. But, the problem of the yellow light as well as road rage in general has come about because of two simple underlying issues on the road. If these issues were addressed, I think the need for the cameras (as far as safety is concerned) would be diminished as the roads would be much safer. What are these underlying issues?

1. Traffic lights that are not in sync with each other, causing drivers to stop at every other block.
2. Inconsistent timing of the Yellow light.

Let's first look at the synchronization of traffic lights. I'm not saying that every light should turn green as I approach it (although it would be nice). I do think that once a driver hits a red light they should have a reasonable expectation to have the traffic light go their way for a good stretch within the speed limit, before coming to another red light. But, that is not the case on most roads in the area. In fact, on many roads it would seem that the timing of the lights are set to actually frustrate a driver. Thus, generating road rage, and thus making a driver more likely to want to blow through that yellow light. I don't think any driver minds hitting a red light or two, but when every light seems against you... it could make even the mildest mannered person scream.

The second is the inconsistent timing of the yellow lights. At some corners the yellow may stay on two or three seconds while at others the yellow light barely has a chance to appear before the red light comes on. I understand that different intersections require different timings. I know that I have gotten into the habit of watching the walk signs for a signal of when a traffic light is about to change, but not every intersection has a pedestrian crossing. With modern technology I think the yellow light should be retooled. Perhaps embedding a countdown so a motorist knows whether they should slam on the brakes. Although, if they have the countdown to see as they approach the intersection, it would give them fair warning. If an embedded countdown is not practical, why not set the yellow light to blink as it changes, blinking faster as the time ticks down. I actually remember seeing this on old traffic lights that had only red and green. The green light would begin to blink just before turning to red as a warning to drivers.

Maybe it's time to start being fair to motorists again, instead of seeing them as a revenue stream. The government taxes us on the sale, registration and inspection of our cars. They put toll booths up to collect money as we leave the island, they tax our fuel, and they lay traps out to catch us if we miss a light. And most of the money collected for all this goes to the MTA. How about doing something nice for the drivers for a change?

Alternate TV Viewing Options

As the Cablevision/Fox talks reach their eleventh day, I want to take a few moments to be amazed at how these two companies have lost focus on the consumer. I still put my allegiance behind Cablevision as I believe that Fox deliberately scheduled their blackout to coincide with the Sports programming. I hope that Cablevision continues to stick to their guns because in a few more days, Fox will reach their deadline with Dish Network and then 14.3 million more homes will be effected by this struggle. That will increase the pressure on Fox to settle as surely their ratings will be getting hammered even more.

Yes, I know as a non-sports fan it's easy for me to take the high road here as many fans are upset at not being able to see their teams play. Heck, I'm upset that Fox preempts The Simpsons and Family Guy for Sports. I mean in this world of ever diversified cable channels, why do broadcast channels think they need to show sports on their regular channels is beyond me. But, back to my point, even as this fight threatens my ability to watch my favorite Fox shows, I still stand with Cablevision because I think that Fox's demands are way out of line for a commercial broadcast network. Besides, there are other ways to view your favorite programming, and are legal.

There is Hulu.com an online service which provides online access to your favorite shows. Although, you mayhave to wait a day or two for them to become available. But, just like a DVR, once it is available you can view the shows at your time. There are two point about this though. First, Fox had originally demanded that Hulu block their content from Cablevision customers. Although they quickly retracted that demand, as talks continue to stall who knows if they may revisit that scare tactic. It also makes me wonder how they would punish Dish customers once they join the fight. The other thing about Hulu is that you are forced to sit through the commercials. Although, the commercial breaks only last between 30-90 seconds, they cannot be fast forwarded through and they are often repetitively annoying. This option is free although they do offer premium content for a fee.

Another option is to get a Slingbox (http://www.slingmedia.com) and have a friend with a different service allow you to plug in. I have used a Slingbox for a couple of years now to watch TV while I travel. It allows me to connect in with hometown news and programs. It also allows me to watch and control my Tivo while on the road. Optional software will also allow you to watch your Slingbox on your Smartphone, great for long waits at the airport or the doctor's office.

While I hope that Fox comes to terms with Cablevision and Dish Network. I really hope that Cablevision and Dish prevail. Because there is more to this struggle than just a contract for retransmission of content. There is a precedent to be set. If Cable and Dish win, that means that Networks like Fox, NBC, ABC, Scripps, YES, etc. have reached their limit on milking money from the public. Yes, they are entitled to be paid for their content but, they need to make their demands realistic. The public can live without the programming. They may not be as happy, but life will go on.

Campaign Contributions and the Media

I consider myself a big believer in freedom of the press and free speech. But, I have to wonder whether it is reasonable to expect that the media to be unbiased in the election process. I was outraged the other day when I saw that Newsday's parent company, Cablevision donated $40,000 to Andrew Cuomo's NY Gubernatorial Campaign.

To their credit, Newsday did disclose it in an article in their paper. However, that is only a small portion of their contribution. Again my source: http://politics.newsday.com is a Newsday site however it shows that Cablevision's overall contribution is $145,000 (not including an additional $11,000 from Dolan family members). The same searches show no results for similar donations to Carl Paladino's campaign.

 I find this very concerning afterall, with such a heavy bet on one candidate it would be hard for them to keep their coverage unbiased. Admittedly, Paladino appears to be shooting himself in the foot these past few days but when I read these reports in the newspaper or see it on News12, I have to question whether or not the comments are being sensationalized or being taken out of context.

I do feel that Newsday's coverage of the campaign has been slanted from the beginning. Whenever Cuomo makes a comment it is highlighted in the headlines and whenever Paladino does something it makes the inside pages, except for his missteps. I kind of understand Paladino's frustration last week when he lashed out at the reporter. Maybe Cuomo is perfect and has made no mistakes, I doubt it every human makes an error. But, the size of the contributions makes me question and creates a big doubt that Cuomo would be a good choice. I really wish that there were more than two major parties in the system. I hate having to vote based on the evil of two lessers.

Author's note: I'm not sure if the Newsday link above is available to non-subscribers. Just in case, here is a link to an image of the Cablevision Contributions to Andrew Cuomo's campaign as of October 13, 2010.
Click Here to View.

Fighting the MTA Taxpayer Abuse

I have always gotten a chuckle whenever I hear the MTA use their slogan, "Going your way." I laugh at the audacity of this agency to actually try and make us believe that they are doing anything any way but their own. Take a look at the recent increase in the fares. They are proposing the largest hikes in a long time during a time that the economy is bleak. Yeah, I know some eggheads in Washington pronounced the recession is over. Try telling that to the people still on the unemployment line. But, I digress...

Today in Glen Cove Bill Schoolman came to address the Chamber of Commerce and enlightened the group of local businesses about the abuse that the MTA has inflicted on this region during the Agency's 40 year history. The latest fare hikes and MTA Payroll Tax are only the latest in the MTA's crimes. I was happy to see that there are others out there that are getting outraged over this issue and I hope that come November it is reflected in the voting results.

Bill had enough and is fighting back with a lawsuit against the MTA Payroll Tax. His investigation found that this burdensome tax contains five violations of the NYS Constitution and one violation of the Public Authorities Law. He spells it out on his website:

http://www.mtataxpayerabuse.com/ 

He represents a growing group of concerned citizens who have had enough and are ready to fight back. He demonstrates the total disregard to fiscal responsibility that the MTA displays. For example:

• MTA Salaries represent 58% of the total MTA Expenses
• MTA Salaries and related benefits are greater the MTA Revenues ($8.0 Billion vs $6.1 Billion)
• MTA has $3.7 Billion in Investments that could be liquefied to avoid service cuts
• MTA has spent of $600 million in overtime, approved without question, 77% undocumented)
• $20 Million spent on an employee lounge at Grand Central Station in October 2009

Please, I urge you to visit his site, sign up for the newsletter and tell your friends and neighbors. It's time to get angry and to take a stand. The MTA has not stopped increasing their greed in 40 years. It's not going to stop until we stand up and say enough is enough!

Join the fight! Remember when you vote on election day who voted for the MTA Tax and let the hear you with your vote!

Baby on Board, That's Your Problem

I hate when you're driving down the road and in front of you is some oaf driving in front of you with one of those sickly, obnoxious, yellow "Baby on Board" signs stuck to the rear windshield. Oh, I'm sure the kid is sound asleep in the back of the car as cute as a button. But, what I adamantly object to is the idea that because that jerk has posted a sign, that I'm going to drive any differently than my normal safe driving style?

To me it is a metaphor for what is wrong with our society. The idea that we can unburden our responsibility on to others just by posting a sign. So, now it is my responsibility to watch out for the brat in the car ahead because I was warned. You see signs like this all over. We all take it as friendly reminders but, we all know there is legal precedent at work here.

One cannot buy a cup of coffee in this country without the words "Caution, Contents may be Hot" on printed around the side. Why is that? Because some years ago, a lady bought a cup of coffee at a McDonald's Drive-Through, placed it between her legs as she drove and wound up spilling it on her lap. I'm sure it was a painful lesson, but what did she expect? I guess she expected a million dollars from McDonald's because they didn't caution her about her own stupidity and she found a jury that agreed. So today, at McDonald's and every other coffee selling outlet in this country now have caution labels on every cup. Personally, I would have sued if I ordered hot coffee and it was served cold, but that would be logical.

On a recent trip to Nantucket I noticed a T-Shirt which had a nautical design on it and provided the coordinates to Nantucket Island. Stuck to the shirt was a yellow sticker that said, "Manufacturer disclaims responsibility if teeshirt is used as a navigational aid and cannot be held liable for any damages..." I can't imagine someone mistaking the writings on a T-Shirt for the same technical markings one would expect on a map. But, I guess someone found a lawsuit there.

Think of it, in every bar is a sign warning pregnant women not to drink. On cigarette packs are warnings that smoking will kill you. Every Fall the AAA plasters the area with signs that proclaim, "School's Open, Drive Carefully." So, is it then OK to drive recklessly all Summer? My point is that people are not going to change their habits because a warning sign is posted. It just makes it easier for the lawyers to get the verdicts they want.

Caution: The previous material is nothing but the rantings and general opinions of the author. It is not intended to be used as legal advice nor is it intended to suggest that you ignore any warning signs or labels, especially ones that may seem logical. Use of any information within this blog or any others that I may or may not write in the future or in the past is purely at your own risk. Any similarities to the views and opinions of any person living, dead or undead are purely coincidental. Void where prohibited by law. So there.

Irony and the Long Island Railroad

Wow! Talk about all the irony these past few weeks on Long Island. First Long Islanders spent three days in a panic, spending tons of money over Hurricane Earl that never showed. Then yesterday in 15 minutes we had an intense storm with all the devastation but no warnings. I think Mother Nature is having a good laugh at our ability to predict weather.

But no where is the sense of irony as strong as with the LIRR. For yesterday another storm brought yet another failure. This on the same night that they held a hearing to discuss fare hikes. I really question their need to raise fares as I continue to look in bewilderment as they as talk with pride about new construction for Grand Central Station, the Old Post Office building next to Penn Station and additional subway lines. I come to the same question:
Why is the MTA spending money to build more lines of service when they can't even handle the current lines of service? When they in fact keep reducing current service and threaten even more cuts?

How is this fiscally responsible. Why not shut down these extra construction projects that will not realistically be completed in this decade and will surely cost more than budgeted, and put that money to keep our current services working. Adding a new station in Manhattan is not going to help anyone during the current economic crisis. Keeping the fares down, the trains clean and on time will retain ridership and keep money in people's pockets. Let's stop the unnecessary construction and maintain what we have.

Another ironic detail about yesterday's storm compared to the last LIRR outage just a couple of weeks ago. During the previous outage, all train lines were out for days with the exception of the Port Washington branch. Local news crews were out in Port Washington getting reactions from boastful residents about how smart they were that they live close to such a reliable branch. I had to laugh this morning when due to the aftermath of the storm, the Port Washington line was the only line to be suspended due to debris on the tracks. Is that irony or karma?


I'll leave you with one last bit of irony. The LIRR has been looking to move their Penn Station service across the street to the old Post Office building in Manhattan. Personally, I'd hate to see that. It's hard enough for commuters to rush from subway to railroad in the time allotted, I would not like to see that sprint turn into a marathon run. But, I was thinking in light of the LIRR's record of achievement during inclement weather, if they were to move into the old Post Office, they would need to change that famous inscription above the doors or face false advertising charges. You know the insription,
"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds"

What's Behind Labor Day?

When I think of Labor Day, I think about the end of Summer, Back to School, and the beginning of the holiday season. Lately however, I'm thinking about what Labor Day represents and while I agree that the men and women who are in the labor force and make our country run deserve a day to honor them. I also wonder why it is that our population has yet to advance from this industrial age mentality.

Even in the 21st Century we are training our people from the time they enter school to be industrial workers. We do not encourage them to think for themselves or to be pioneers or entrepreneurs. No, students are sent off to school where they are taught like Pavlov's dog to respond to a bell.

• Bell rings,,,Go to Homeroom
• Bell rings...Go to First Period...Begin Learning
• Bell rings...Go to Lunch...Eat Food
• Bell rings...Go to Recess...Commence Play
• Lunch Lady Blows Whistle...Stop Play
• Rinse and Repeat

It's no wonder that we are developing people with a lack of drive to succeed or to break out on their own and do something new and different. Our children are placed on the assembly line from the time they enter Kindergarten and never escape.

So what is wrong with this? Nothing I guess afterall we need people to manufacture our LCD TV's and other gadgets. But, much of that work gets farmed out to other countries. Because business owners begin to think of their employees as nothing more than an expense. Why is the US economy in trouble? Look how much work is being sent oversees. Try calling customer support for just about any major US company and you're sure to get someone from across the ocean.

Organized labor is not the answer because they just add more cost and bureaucracy to the equation. If anything they add to the problem. They allow bad employees to keep their jobs and and remove the incentive for good employees to exceed. I have experienced this first hand as an employee and as a manager. Featherbedding and time-stretching still goes on today and costs us millions at retail stores as well as in taxes. Unions also discourage workers from seeking promotion. Afterall, once a worker is promoted to Manager, the union looses a dues-paying member. So, it is in the union's best interest to keep the workers down.

So what are the alternatives? Maybe we need to look at our education system and make it more collaborative. More encouraging for students to come up with new ideas and to allow for the free flow of them without the need for competition. Leave the competition to the free marketplace. I admit I don't have specifics as to how to do this. Although, by thinking it through I'm sure there are better alternatives.

For example I have found an alternative to working in the corporate world. I have found a way that by collaborating together with friends and family that you can create a successful company and be profitable. I have found a place where I work with people of integrity, who mentor me and genuinely want to help me to succeed. If this idea intrigues you, click the social networking ad at the bottom of this page to find out more or click here.

New Voting Comes to Long Island - Shades of Florida

Being a technology person, I love when I get to play with new gadgets. This November I'll get to try out the new voting machines that have come to Nassau County.

Since the election of 2000, I've watched with some interest in the various technologies in voting that were being developed to avoid the troubles that happened with Florida's paper electronic voting. I was comfortable with New York's old fashioned manual lever machines. I guess, I grew up with them and remember standing on my dad's shoes as he let me in the voting booth with him, flipping the levers. So, patriotism mixed with nostalgia allowed me to believe that our machines were fine.

I knew that one day a new technology would come along. But, I was disappointed when I received my voting notification this past week and saw that we were adopting a paper ballot that would be scanned into the system. Have they forgotten all the controversy ion Florida? People complaining that the paper ballot was too hard to read? That it was too hard to pick the right boxes? Now, we're going to have everyone filling in little circles with number two pencils like an SAT exam?

I can hear the critics complaining now. People complaining that the circles were too big, too small, too confusing. They didn't read the screen. They used the wrong type of pen or pencil. They wrote in the margins, etc. I wonder if the politicians have set up this scenario on purpose in order to create questions so they can contest an outcome that they don't like.

I'm disappointed that they did not choose a more modern and less confusing system. How would I have designed it? Simple, the voting booth would be like an ATM. A person would step into the booth and the screen would show them the choices for each position. In fact, I would go so far to allow each candidate to post a photo and a small statement. This way even a candidate in an obscure local race could help people make a choice. Voters would make their choice on the screen then press complete. A summary screen would display for them to confirm their vote. They press confirm and the vote is entered. Since a paper trail is required, the voting machine would then spit out a paper receipt which could then be placed in a collection box in case a recount is needed. Meanwhile, all the votes are tallied nice and clean with little to no margin for error.

I guess we'll see how everything will run next month. Although, as with anything new I do expect to see a few glitches, I just hope that New York does not become the next Florida.

LIRR - An Exercise in Patience

I used to commute into the city everyday. I was part of the rat race taking the Railroad to work each day. Spending three hours or more commuting. I may have to do it again some day, but for now I'm safe from the hustle and bustle of the LIRR.

When I did travel through the MTA system, I was always struck by the dehumanizing experience it is. Commuters are often treated as cattle, in fact with the overcrowding of some train, I would dare say worse than cattle. Seriously, if you shoved so many heads of cattle into a railroad car heading to the slaughterhouse, the ASPCA and every other Animal Rights group would be on the case protesting and, rightly so. Therefore my question is why do we recognize these atrocious conditions when forced on animals but accept it when it is forced upon us?

What can we do about it? I realize it is tough. After all, we want to get home on Friday evening after work and don;t want to wait another 90 minutes for the next train. It is understandable. But, why not stand up for ourselves through letter writing, making phone calls of protests, even blogging about it. Why do we accept MTA's treatment of ourselves even when we know it is wrong. Have you ever noticed, that when the Railroad really messes up, is running late and the train is overcrowded, often you will never see the conductor coming through for tickets. They know that tempers are high and really don't want to get into conversations about subjects they can't do anything about. We are upset but as soon as we get home, we shrug the whole incident off as just another day in the rat race.

I would suggest that the next time you're stuck on a delayed train and being treated unfairly, that you get out your Blackberry or Android or iPhone and start writing to the LIRR and MTA and get your voices heard. Why do you think that there are so many trains running on the Port Washington line during rush hour? The commuters on that line have made a very strong campaign and are not afraid to be heard.

Oyster Bay trains are typically an hour apart so when they cancel one of our trains there is a long wait. During a bad day in Penn Station I once saw someone complaining loudly that they canceled his Great Neck train and forcing him to take a Port Washington train instead that was five minutes later. As a rider on the Oyster Bay line, I was totally mystified by the man's outrage. But, my point is that the riders on the Port Washington branch are not afraid to have their voice heard. I would encourage everyone out there to do the same.

Let's stop commuting like sheep and stand up for our own rights. If your train is overcrowded, too hot, too cold, running late or any other bad service, let them know. However, I would also suggest that when they do something good that you also let them know that as well. If a conductor was especially nice (an many of them are) or the train had a good record of being on time, don't be afraid to send a compliment. This gives good managers a chance to praise good employees and hold them up as an example for others to follow. If you're going to criticize the dark side, don't forget to compliment those on the side of good as well.

Traffic Everywhere

I'm sure you've all heard about the massive jam in China that lasted for 10 days:
China's Massive Traffic Jam: Already Gone?
Reading about this has reminded me of the eternal traffic jam we experience each day on Long Island. Between our dozens of major arteries and hundreds of individual roads, it seems like we are constantly seeing construction zones and traffic backup at all hours of the day and night.

Some years ago the Governor Pataki had signed an executive order that all construction was to take place in the overnight period so as to minimize the effect on traffic. This seemed like the perfect solution. But now, even driving during rush hour and you will see backups due to construction. What happened?

Surely then the roads would be open over night, right? Well, that was proven wrong a few weeks ago when I was returning from Eastern Long Island to find that the entrance to the expressway was closed. OK, no problem I drove the service road expecting to get on the next entrance a few miles up ahead. When I got to the next entrance, it too was closed so was the next three before I could get on. This was at around 11:30pm on a Sunday night. What made it more aggravating was that I could see that the main road was open with traffic zipping along.

I know, now I'm complaining that they are doing night time construction, and you're thinking what the heck do I want? I believe my frustration comes from the fact that there is no clear plan for this construction at least to the driver's perspective. I'm driving on a road, expecting to use an entrance only to find it blocked, with no clear signs of detour or explanation. Construction crews while, they work hard at what they do and I respect them for it, it seems like they do not return that respect to me, as a driver or taxpayer.


They are so intent on their work, that they will close off a road seemingly without any thought of how drivers should get around. I've seen times when both the LIE and Northern State have construction delays at the same time. The North Shore only has these two major highways, why not make sure one stays open?

While our traffic has not reached the 10 day jam in China, nor is it as bad as what I've experienced in Mexico City, I believe that our traffic ranks as some of the worst in the world. It would be really great if the people designing and constructing the roads would better take into account the flow of traffic as they were building and making sure that the traffic continued to flow.

Next on the blog: The LIRR is in trouble again. Fire at a switching station in Jamaica has caused delays for days. So, we can't even escape traffic by taking the train. We'll talk about it!

The Increasing School Tax and The Declining Enrollment

As all the excitement of Back to School starts taking over parents around Long Island I remember reading a Newsday article on July 17th, "LI children age 9 or younger decrease by 10 percent" by Olivia Winslow (Link).

The US Census data shows a 10 percent drop or 40,500 fewer residents 9 and younger on Long Island since the turn of the century. Overall school enrollment has decreased across Long Island since 2005. So, why then are school budgets still escalating?

Maybe the school officials need to take some math classes because it seems so logical, less students mean less resources needed which equals in lower budgets. I know, I can hear some people already saying "won't someone think of the children?" I know it's not politically correct to challenge the school board after all they are only caring for our children and they are our precious future. Hogwash! The school boards are thinking only of their pockets and precious jobs. In my opinion this just a case of spend all your budget so you can ask for more next year. My local school board was so good with their budget that they were able to afford a neat electronic LED message board to announce their school board meetings on. Gee, thinking of the cost to purchase and install the sign, not to mention the monthly electric bill, do you think they could have used that money for something better? Oh, like buying a couple of extra books, hiring another teacher or maybe paying for some extra-curricular activity that they keep telling us is so important?

Speaking of extra-curricular activities, I find it highly offensive that the community should pay for these this. I'm not opposed to school tax entirely. I think that it is each resident's responsibility to help fund education. I just think it should be reasonable, fair and centered around education. That means paying for teachers, books, administration and maintenance of school property. But, when it comes to activities like sports or after school clubs, I draw the line. These activities are selective and the cost of these should be funded by the students who partake in them and their parents. The school can provide the venue and supervision, but should not foot the bill for supplies or anything else. Let them do a bake sale or car wash to raise money.

It also seems like there is a belief that smaller classes mean a better education. Frankly, I think that is just the Teacher's Unions looking  to get more teachers hired. I can't say I blame them as teachers are very under appreciated in our society. However, when I was a kid, growing up in the late 60's, 35-40 children in a classroom was the average. I think the increased pressure drove us to work harder for recognition. During my elementary school career was when the change from the old school (1950's) style of strict education was giving way to the newer, softer, new age education. Even at a young age I noticed the difference when my textbooks were changed and found the newer ones fluffier and easier to get through. I think back on that today and wonder of that was better. Would I have developed different in a more competitive environment?

I have to think yes. In Asia class sizes are huge and yet they consistently produce students that beat our students in academics. I have to think that it is the competition that drives them to do better.

In my opinion our current classroom structure and concepts about budgets were created in the 1950's during a time of prosperity and population explosion. We need to rethink our education system and how we fund it. In truth, I stopped voting on my school budget because I believe it is a farce especially in New York State. This became apparent a few years ago when the school budget was voted down, twice and the school board overrode the vote because there was money that needed to be paid. How can they do that? I felt cheated and I still do. There is only one line of candidates to vote for and if anyone tries to challenge that line, they are ostracized by the current school board members. If you vote against the budget, they pull out the kids with puppy dog eyes crying to save their school.

Then if it gets voted down again, New York State grants them a contingency increase. In all fairness, this was the first year in my recollection that the contingency budget was a 0% increase. However, in past years the contingency was 3% or 4% even more. In my opinion, if the budget is voted down, the school budget should be the same as the previous year. Afterall, that was the last approved budget. I mean, imagine walking into your boss's office and asking for a 7% raise. Then you're turned down and you say, "Well since taxes went up and the kids need to pay for tuition, so I'll just take a 4% raise instead, Thanks." Do you think you'd be successful? Of course not! You continue receiving your current salary and have to make do (assuming your boss didn't fire you for acting so crazy).

My main point is that the school budgets need to get back in line with reality. They need to start thinking of the community as a whole not just the children but, the parents as well. Especially during hard times, and declining enrollment. That is the whole point of the free market system. During these times, families are moving to areas with lower costs and lower taxes. As a result, other areas have a declining population and require less services. So, reduce the cost of our schools, lower our school taxes then our community becomes attractive to families again. They move back, they start paying into the system, generating more revenue so that you can regrow the school system again. Only, with a larger population, the additional costs are more easily shared. It seems like basic economics, and I learned that in school with 35 kids in my class.

I Hate Junk Mail

What's even more frustrating than finding bills in your mailbox when you come home? To me it's finding your mailbox filled with junk mail. Junk mail has gotten out of control. My recycle bin is filled each week with more Pennysavers, credit card apps, catalogs and charity solicitations than I have household trash. 

I realize that junk mail has it's purpose. It keeps the postage rates down by bringing much needed revenue into the post office, much like the advertisements on the side of my blog does for me. Junk mail also keeps the recycling industry humming by providing an endless supply of raw materials.

I'm not saying they should stop junk mail entirely, just cut back. When I was younger we would get one Pennysaver a week. That was fine, my family would actually look at it and maybe even do the crossword that they sometimes included. But now, we get one or two of them a day! This is no exaggeration. As if we don't get enough through the mail, Newsday even includes a Pennysaver in their Sunday edition. Some of them are dressed up with fancy names like "North Shore Today" some are printed on stock paper like a magazine. But, they are all the same, an intrusion to my mailbox, information that I did not ask for. I even wrote a letter to these companies, asking to be removed from their mailing list. I didn't even as much as a letter back from them. But the Pennysavers keep on coming.

Almost as bad but even more dangerous are the credit card offers. If you have fairly decent credit, they'll bombard you with so many offers that you know which bank and what card it is by the envelope. What makes these banks think that if I declined their offer the first five times, that I'll accept it on the sixth time, or the sixtieth? I mean save that money and give your existing customers lower rates.


Even when you have an account with one of these credit cards, then the checks start pouring in. Unfortunately, these are not checks from some long lost uncle. These are checks that allow you to take an advance against your credit line. But the way the letter is written, you'd think your ship just came in.


Unfortunately, credit card offers and these checks are letters that I need to open for security. Where as the Pennysavers, ValPacks, Coupon Books etc. go straight from mailbox to trash. The credit card mailings should be shredded before placing them into a recycling bin. I'm not just saying that to entice you to click on the ad to the right, thieves have been known to go dumpster diving for just such treasure. Yes, I know the checks come with assurances of security, but if someone gets a hold of one of these checks, it's up to you to correct the situation with the bank. This will take time and can be a hassle. Be safe and nip the problem at the start, shred all credit card correspondence that has your name on it.


Well, I can go on about junk mail, unfortunately I know it won't stop. On the bright side it means an endless supply or raw materials for recycled paper products and lower postal rates. At least advertisers are paying to get their message to you and I appreciate that. My point is that the volume of junk mail drowns out their message, frustrates the intended audience who ends up like me, just shutting them off. So, all I'm asking from direct mail advertisers is moderation!


Next time on the blog I'll look at the lowest form of advertiser, the Spammer who bombards our emails with medical cures, money scams and other junk. Luckily, spammers can be stopped and we'll look at some of the ways to stop these messages from getting through.

Communications and VoIP

Ever since the Bell System was broken up in the 1980's Americans have been looking for quality phone service. Oh, I know monopolies are evil and sure it was a good thing that Ma Bell was broken up. But, face it since then we have not seen consistent quality in our phone service whether we're talking on our cell phones, a land line or an internet based phone.

The breakup of the Bell System also gave birth to the one company who has given me the most grief in all my life, the company that would eventually evolve into Verizon. I could fill multiple columns describing the conflicts that I have had with this company, but I will save you from that. I bring this up because my venture into VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) was prompted because the quality of my traditional land line Verizon phone has become so bad, that I could not make a phone call. This was around 2002, Cablevision had yet to introduce their telephone product and I signed up with AT&T CallVantage. I immediately experienced excellent phone service at a much cheaper price. That's how I operated until 2008 when AT&T decided to leave the stand alone VoIP market and I had to look for a new provider.

I began my search on the internet of course and found an excellent discussion board DSL Reports. I found out that the VoIP industry had grown in the six years since I first went to VoIP. There were a number of failures as well as a number of successes. I read through the reviews of the various VoIP providers and found PhonePower to be a great value and had an excellent reputation for service. 

I signed up for the two-year special which was a great deal. For $199 (plus applicable taxes about $235 total) I got unlimited calling nationwide and Canada, 1 hour international calling, a 2nd "cloned line." plus tons of other features. The cloned line is a second phone line with the same number that allows you to have two separate calls going on at the same time. You also get a free softphone application that allows you to take your phone with you as you travel by way of your laptop computer. If you use the shameless Amazon advertisement to the right, you would also get a nifty "zippy" USB attachment which allows you to use any computer to make and receive calls from your home phone. Don't worry, you get back the $79.99 as a scredit towards your phone service so, you're not paying a premium to use the link. How cool is that? We've used the softphone application from Mexico and the quality was equal to calling from our home in Long Island.

One of the other services that we've looked at was the Optimum Voice by Cablevision. I signed my Dad up for this service and I do recommend it for those looking for a basic service and not too much into the features. Not that Optimum Voice is short on features. It does offer a full service Voicemail system, an excellent web interface, features such as Call Forwarding, 3-Way Calling, and Caller ID. It will even display the caller ID on your Television while your watching the program! Actually, for me that's a deterrent since I usually watch my shows time delayed through Tivo so I can skip the commercials. But for my Dad this works great! The price is a good value as well especially if you get the Triple Play. For my Dad it only cost $1/month more once all the discounts were added in. Although, you have to remember to call them back each year to ask them to renew the special promotion.

Optimum Voice didn't meet my needs in two specific areas. First International Calling. While they will be very happy to sell you an International Plan at competitive rates, the calls have to be made through a special number, like a calling card. My wife and I are frequent international dialers. So, this was a deal breaker even though we will sometimes use Skype to make our calls, we didn't want our home service to be so cumbersome. The other area was features. PhonePower offers so many more features for the money including one feature that AT&T had that I really liked. That was a Call Block List. This way based on the Caller ID of the incoming call, I can send the caller straight to Voicemail or to a bug-off message. This works great on telemarketers and politicians around election time.

So depending on your needs, I think both PhonePower and Optimum both offer a great service at a great value. They are both dependable and have provided good, reliable service for us these past two years. One thing that many people worry about with VoIP is what happens in a power outage. Yes, the phone switching equipment is in your house and if the power goes down so does your equipment. For me this wasn't an issue since my Verizon landline didn't work on a nice day with the power on. But two things can help in a power outage.

1. PhonePower lets you designate a roll-over number. Should your network go down, the calls are automatically routed to this number which could be your cell phone or any other number.
2. Purchase and use a power backup similar to the one pictured in the advertisement to the right. (Yes, I know another shameless plug). I have my phone adapter, my cable modem, router and a cordless phone base plugged in to a power backup. This way, should power go down I have about five hours of power to keep me going. Yes, even when the power goes out in your area, in my experience over the past 8 years the Cablevision signal is still running on the Coax Cable. You just need power for the equipment.

So, I hope this helps some of you looking into VoIP as a home phone alternative. If you're still not sure, drop by the DSL Reports website and check out the reviews about all the companies. I still post there, especially in the PhonePower forum, you'll find a lot of good people there with good advice.

Next up on the blog: I'll look at some alternative communication programs like Skype and MagicJack.

Restaurant Recommendations

Well, the last couple of columns were kind of heavy so, I thought I would lighten things up with some local restaurant recommendations. My wife and I travel frequently and we appreciate good food when we find it. So, I thought I'd start off with two of our favorites.

Smoke House BBQ Pizza Bar (Formerly "Patsy's")
407 Jericho Turnpike, Syosset, NY
516-802-4125
Web: http://www.dlsmokehouse.com

For us this restaurant has a special meaning. Two weeks before our wedding in 2008, we realized that we needed to plan a rehearsal dinner. Several guests were staying at a nearby hotel and we started driving up Jericho Turnpike for a nice venue. We stopped at a few restaurants that wanted to charge as much as we were paying for our reception, that's not what we had in mind. When Patsy's appeared on the horizon it was a shining destination. We found the managers and staff to be friendly, helpful and the prices were reasonable. Needless to say the rehearsal dinner was a big success and we have returned to dine there on a fairly regular basis.

Recently, they went through a change in decor and an expansion of their menu. Now known as Smoke House BBQ Pizza Bar, thankfully, all the great Italian dishes and pizzas are still very much there. They've added some Barbecue items as well as burgers, sandwiches and a few specialty items. One item I tried was a BBQ Sushi Roll of Buffalo Chicken. An interesting reconstruction of the classic Buffalo Chicken. All the ingredients are there, the chicken (minus the bones), the hot sauce, blue cheese and celery all wrapped in rice and crisp seaweed. It tasted great and I didn't have to worry about messy hands. It's an excellent appetizer!

They still make our favorite salad, the Pear Salad. The salad is prepared with a nice selection of greens, sliced pears, almonds, fresh blue cheese with a healthy drizzling of raspberry vinaigrette dressing. Another delicious dish! It's great to see that even after their makeover, Smoke House kept all the quality and great food that made them such a special place.

Puerto Vallarta
48 Cedar Swamp Rd, Glen Cove, NY
516-277-2900

We recently discovered this little gem. My wife is from Mexico so, when we find authentic food so close to home we celebrate! The restaurant is nicely designed with ample seating on two floors. The sounds of Spanish music and decor work to create a really nice ambiance perfect for any type of party from a family fiesta to a romantic dinner for two.

The menu is filled with authentic Mexican cuisine made and served quickly by a friendly wait staff that is very knowledgeable in what they are serving. I can recommend the Chicken Enchilada Mole. For those not familiar it is chicken meat wrapped in flour tortillas covered with a mole sauce and topped with creme. The mole sauce is actually a spicy type of chocolate but, without the sweetness of sugar. It may be hard to explain but, take it from this Gringo, it is nothing like a Hershey bar, it has a very unique and pleasant taste. The dish is served with some refried beans and a small salad. In terms of price, very reasonable.

Next up on the blog, I'll get back into tech and talk about long distance communication and VoIP!

MTA: Going Their Way

I commuted from Long Island to Manhattan for about 10 years and, although I don't need to currently, I will most likely return to a daily commute very soon. Luckily for me, Glen Cove is serviced by Long Island Transit buses so, I will not need to use the MTA's Long Island Railroad nor subway. But, many of our fellow Long Islanders are forced to suffer the painful change at Jamaica and the underground tunnel at Penn Station.

In my opinion, the MTA has lost it's way long before I moved to the island in 2000. The agency was founded in 1965 initially responsible for regulating and subsidizing the commuter railroads, including the LIRR. Later it grew to include the NYC subways, buses and bridges. Why does government always think monopolies are good things when it pertains to themselves? This daunting agency now pretty much controls all the public transportation in downstate New York. Talk about totalitarian control!

The agency is governed by a 17 member board made up of members appointed by the Governor of New York and recommended by the Mayor of New York City, and the County Executives of Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester Counties. The NYC Mayor gets to recommend 4 members while County Execs only get to choose one each. Hmm, no wonder they always fight to save the subway fare while the LIRR fares always climb disproportionately higher. The Executives of Dutchess, Orange, Putnam and Rockland counties each get to appoint a member as well, however they only get one collective vote. All members must be ratified by the State Senate.

I get so upset with this agency as I see them as an unresponsive and arrogant group. They collect tax money from more sources then you can imagine and still cry for more money. They were caught with two sets of books just a few years ago and still nobody questions when they claim that they have a budget crisis. I want to know what the other set of books say.

What really baffles me is that when challenged they immediately start talking about service cuts, even cutting out certain lines and services. Then in the same breath they take pride in telling you how they are building the tunnel to Grand Central Station or building the Second Avenue Subway or moving Penn Station to the old Post Office site. My question is:

If they can't take care of the stations, tracks and routes that they have now, how can they even think about adding more to their load??

I mean, think about it. If I were in financial stress and couldn't afford to take care of 3 rooms in my house, would I be thinking of building an addition to the house? You would say that I was crazy and being financially irresponsible. You would tell me to first take care of the rooms that I have, get my finances together, save and then consider my addition. Wouldn't you? Why doesn't the MTA take all those billions being spent on these construction projects and put it to keeping essential services? Later, when the financial crunch is past, then we can start building new tracks.

Just take a look at Jamaica Station and you can see how money is wasted in construction. Now, I was at the old Jamaica Station and I will admit that for the most part, the new station is a vast improvement. However, visit the Mezzanine on a brisk winter morning and you will see or feel the joke. The area was meant as a respite for travelers waiting for their train. Yet, the top portion of the area is wide open allowing, wind, rain and snow to flood the area. Didn't anyone think about closing this area up? Then there is the moving sidewalk to nowhere that cuts the whole area in half. Besides being of no real use to travelers since it is awkwardly placed for subway riders, it blocks also LIRR commuters moving from the west to east stairwells. The money for this little toy would have been better used if they had put escalators on the east side stairwells.

I guess the real message of my rant, is that I believe that the MTA Board is out of touch with the commuters. I would bet that most of them have never been inside a subway or bus in years. In my opinion this agency was created to protect the politicians (like the Governor, NYC Mayor and County Execs) from public outcry over increased fares and taxes. I understand that hard measures need to be taken at times, but the MTA board needs to be held accountable. So, I suggest that the members become elected by the regions they represent and that each region get only one member (sorry NYC). Let the MTA budget be approved by the voters just like school board budgets are. Let the MTA members be held responsible to answer to the public for their actions.