The Hyatt Regency Buffalo will get an $11 million renovation, with the state footing nearly half the tab as part of a plan to boost convention business and tourism.

The Hyatt is the only hotel that is physically connected to the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center, and creating a modern “headquarters hotel” to lure large groups of visitors could help bolster Buffalo’s ailing convention business, tourism officials said.

The bottom line is that billions of our dollars are spent to subsidize private businesses.  The result is far more harm than good to our economy.

Source: The Buffalo News: Home

Buffalo, Government Waste, New York State | No Comments »

The governing board of the State Power Authority hired an Amherst energy executive Tuesday as its chief operating officer.

The hiring of Roger B. Kelley marks the first time a Western New Yorker will run the authority since the Niagara Power Project, one of the nation’s largest hydropower plants, was built a half-century ago.

The hope is that Kelley will reform the New York Power Authority and bring more of a Western New York perspective to the job as president and chief executive officer. However, he was cautious in a phone interview shortly after his appointment.

This is the result of a scathing investigation of the Power Authority by the Buffalo News that uncovered many fiscal improprieties. The problem isn’t who is at the helm of the NYSPA, it is the Power Authority itself. Anyone holding out for real reform in an agency with virtual autonomy is wasting their time.

The only solution is to abolish Public Authorities.

[tags]New York, Power Authority, CEO, Roger B. Kelley[/tags]

Government Waste, New York State | No Comments »

If ever there was a candidate eminently qualified to lead a “commonsense” party, that person would be Congressman, and Presidential hopeful, Ron Paul. Last night Paul appeared on the Bill Maher show, traditionally a bastion of modern liberalism. This was Ron Paul’s second appearance on the show in the past couple of months.

Maher obviously recognized something he liked that prompted him to have Paul on for a second visit. Even though Ron Paul is a registered Republican, his positions appeal to voters of all parties. He doesn’t follow the drumbeat of the traditional party line or play the traditional game of politics. Ron Paul bases his positions on the values and principles of economics, constitutionality and responsibility. These values are not for sale to the highest bidder, but applied equally and fairly to all situations.

Maher mentioned that he has never seen a Republican cheered on his show before, not only that, he also said that Ron Paul received the loudest ovation of any guest that has appeared on his show.

Ron Paul’s biggest impediment to winning the White House is due to not being supported by the status quo politicians in his party. Because of that, he does not have the financial resources normally required to win a Presidential race. He does have one thing the other politicians do not, integrity.

Ron Paul can win the election if his message reaches enough voters who can overlook Mitt Romney’s perfectly coiffed persona, Giuliani’s 9/11 act, Hillary’s costly “I will take care of you” platform and Obama’s lack of substance and experience. The Internet is an increasingly valuable tool for elections and has greatly increased Ron Paul’s exposure. Spread the word and the power of the Net could very well propel Ron Paul into the White House.

[tags]Ron Paul, 2008, President, Bill Maher, integrity, Rudy Giuliani, Hillary Clinton, Mitt Romney, Barrack Obama[/tags]

National, Ron Paul for President | 1 Comment »

And Kevin at BfloBlog has issued invitations.

Buffalo, Events, Sports | No Comments »

Presidential candidate and Congressman Ron Paul (R-Tex) will appear on Free Market News Network’s “Wake Up with Pat Gorman” Internet-based “live” radio program on Thursday, May 31. Questions and comments from viewers via phone and email will be accepted.

Ron Paul’s message of free markets and small government has been lighting up the Internet. He has won poll after poll, even though the mainstream media have yet to recognize him as a serious candidate, let alone a front runner.

“We are pleased that Ron Paul has taken time out of his busy schedule to appear on FMNN’s new program, Wake Up America, with Pat Gorman,” said CEO Donald J.(Jim) MacKenzie. “Dr. Paul is an FMNN commentator and his message naturally compliments the coverage that FMNN gives to the development and success of free markets around the world.”

Wake Up America airs at 2PM EST, and listeners can gain access to it via a real-time portal at FreeMarketNews.com. Programs are archived as well. The program regularly features guests with skills pertinent to areas of “personal responsibility,” - along with free-market news and information provided by FMNN reporters and commentators.

FMNN: Free-Market News Network, Corp. offers socio-political, economic and investment coverage from a free-market viewpoint with a global reach.

Source: News & Events - Free Market News Network

National, Ron Paul for President | No Comments »

Today in Buffalo Business, is an article about the difficulty in wooing retailers to Buffalo. One of the reasons cited is our region’s relatively low average weekly wage of $689. I’m sure a large number of private sector workers are looking at that figure and saying, “holy shit, I don’t make anywhere near that much money!”

Government employment accounts for 17% of local jobs. The Buffalo area not only has some of the highest paid government workers nationally, it has an abnormally large number of public employees per capita.

Chances are good that if you make the average salary for the area, you are a government employee. If you make more, the chances that you work for the government are greatly increased.

The private sector economy has basically become a serfdom working for low wages to support the 17% who work for the government. That is why few people have enough discretionary income to lure Ikea and other large retailers to Buffalo.

The politicians make it look like they are doing you a favor by luring Bass Pro. The truth is, they need to use $25 million of your money to get them here because it wouldn’t be financially reasonable for Bass Pro to locate here without massive subsidies. The politicians are not helping the economy with subsidies and redistribution of wealth, they are just trying to protect their own asses by putting up the appearance of doing a good job. Yes, Brian Higgins, that means you.

Not to single out Higgins, most local politicians are playing this game, it is just that Higgins has moved on to the next level. If the politicians wanted to actually do something to improve our economy, they would have to acknowledge the need to slash the size and compensation for local government.

The voters bear much of the blame because they keep voting the same people into office.

[tags]Buffalo, New York, economy, government, employees, salaries, compensation, Brian Higgins[/tags]

Buffalo, Erie County, Government Waste | 1 Comment »

Yes, it sounds crazy, but it is really simple economics.  The current rise in prices is due mainly to a shortage in refining capacity, not a shortage of oil.  The government is pushing biofuels with many subsidies.  That is causing the oil companies to reevaluate plans to increase refining capacity.  It would be financially foolish for them to invest money if the demand is going to disappear due to the government’s biofuel policies.

Any way that you look at this, the consumer comes out a loser because of the government’s intervention in the private market.  Even if biofuels are able to meet the demand, consumers will pay heavily.  The cost won’t show up completely at the pump but it will be reflected in your tax bill.  Ethanol and other biofuels can not compete with gasoline on the basis of the cost to produce it or with the amount of energy produced per gallon.  The wisest thing the government could do is to leave biofuel development to the private sector.  The subsidies lessen the incentive to produce these fuels as efficiently as possible and increase the total cost to taxpayers.

[tags]gasoline, biofuels, ethanol. government, subsidies, cost, price[/tags]

Government Waste, National, New York State | No Comments »

FDA OKs ‘No-Period’ Birth Control Pill

What the article doesn’t answer is the important question - Does this eliminate PMS?

[tags]FDA, period, menstrual cycle, pms, birth control pill[/tags]

Musings | No Comments »

I wrote a couple of weeks ago how their roadrunner service doesn’t hold a candle to the overall performance of DSL. Last week I experienced 4 hours of not being able to open a web page. I never had a total of 4 hours of down-time during 5 years with Verizon DSL.

Today the cable is out. I called their number provided for business accounts, since that is what I have, went through the prompts a total of 4 times, and was disconnected each time at the point I should have been holding for a live representative.

Now I have been on hold for 43 minutes. I called and followed the prompts for new service hoping that would get me to a live human quicker. No dice!

I’m going to be in bed tonight trying to sleep while hearing the following phrase running through my head.

“We apologize for the delay. Please remain on the line for the next available representative.”

At least I can have them on speaker phone while I listen to the automated apology.

[tags]Time Warner Cable, Roadrunner, Internet, service, poor[/tags]

Buffalo, Erie County, Rants | 3 Comments »

Joel Giambra has come up with some very good ideas, such as the consolidation of ECC downtown.  Today is not one of his good days.  He is advocating a dedicated source of funding for the arts from real property taxes.

Government funding for the arts and culturals is a bad, whether it is dedicated or budgeted annually.  It results in more people being indirectly employed by the government and distorts the true value of art and culture.  People sitting in a room doling out money to support cultural activities, sight unseen, is ludicrous at best.  Taxpayers are forced to pay for art that they may deem garbage.

If the government would just stop sticking its nose in everything and trying to control society through myriad funding projects, taxes would be lower and people would have the money to voluntarily support art and culture based on their perception of the value.

Art & Photography, Buffalo, Erie County, Government Waste | No Comments »

The most efficient way to ruin health care is by switching to a system of socialized, universal, single-payer government-run health care.  Here are a few examples.

• The sad story of a British man who can’t see because the British National Health care system hasn’t gotten around to removing his cataracts — for three years. (He has a kidney stone, too, and Britain’s “universal” health care system won’t fix that, either.)
• A fellow in Canada who has been waiting eight months (so far) for heart surgery.A Canadian with a malignant brain tumor who fled to New York for medical treatment, rather than (most likely) die on a Canadian waiting list. His best friend had died on a waiting list for heart surgery.
• Three stories: A Canadian girl whose heart surgery was cancelled; an Australian man who has been on a 90-day waiting list for two years; a couple who had to schedule care for three disabled family members in order for the man to have surgery — which then was cancelled.

Read the rest from  the National Center Blog.

[tags]health care, universal, socialized, single payer, government[/tags]

Government Waste, National, New York State | No Comments »

When you live right by Dairy Queen, there is only one thing to do when it is 87 degrees outside -

Btw, it is a raspberry sundae.  I couldn’t stop myself from sampling the sundae before snapping the picture with my cell phone  ::

Buffalo, Food & Dining, cell phone photo blogging | No Comments »

if Eric Dondero is the only thing I have to worry about, then I don’t have a lot to worry about.

- Ron Paul answering questions about the Iraq War, 9/11 and Eric Dondero

[tags]Ron Paul, Eric Dondero, Presidential Candidate, 2008, Republican, Libertarian, Conservative[/tags]

National, Ron Paul for President | No Comments »

Mayor Byron Brown is holding out Ikea as a red herring in an attempt to justify the huge corporate welfare package for Bass Pro. He obviously realizes that many people are opposed to the poorly and suddenly conceived incarnation of plans for a Bass Pro store on the waterfront.

Many retail projects can be made viable with the infusion of tens of milions in taxpayers’ dollars. The corporate welfare hurts competing businesses while robbing people of money to spend to support businesses fairly. Let’s hope that not too many people are swayed by Brown’s sleight-of-hand act. The issue isn’t Ikea in our future, it is our money being wasted to the detriment of other businesses and our economy.

[tags]Bass Pro, Buffalo, waterfront, inner harbor, canal, Byron Brown, Ikea[/tags]

Buffalo, Government Waste | No Comments »

This is a very interesting article analyzing the reasons that Bush has not been impeached.  The biggest reason is that the American people, as a group, are unwilling or unable to admit that supporting George Bush’s actions in the Middle East was a big mistake.

It also delves into the political reasons that the Democrats are content leaving Bush in the White House.

Read it all:  Why Bush hasn’t been impeached | Salon.com

[tags]George Bush, President, impeach, war, Iraq, Middle East, foreign policy, Congress[/tags]

National | 1 Comment »