SUNDAY MATINEE
A moving story
Superbly done, this masterpiece will connect with you at many levels: floor, beam, bar, even overhead dangling ropes… Wonderful journey of one little girl obsessed with moving up and up, while learning how to spin and spin.
A tighter editing would have quickened the pace without altering the storyline.
I would’ve cut it by at least 2 minutes and 51 seconds.
This is the latest headline on Terry Bernardo’s website: What Is He smoking?
Brilliant! You can tell, the writer has a lot of experience.
– Jon Dogar-Marinesco
There are five Election Districts in the Town of Rochester. Each district elects two persons to the Ulster County Republican Committee, and they are known as Town of Rochester Republican Committee. Since 2009, none of them were actually elected. They got the seats by successfully challenging the opponents’ petitions. More power to them.
In June 2010, a Republican resident’s decision to run for a seat in District 2 triggered a flurry of emails between the ten members of said Committee. For its sheer non-sense, unmitigated demagoguery and downright stupidity, this email – sent by Imre Beke, Sr. to the other nine committee members – takes the cake:
David, Leon and Shane:
I fully agree with the opinion expressed by both Shane and Leon.
Regardless of the personalities involved, my major concerns from an objective point of view are as follows:
(1) After so many years of division in our Town’s GOP (not to mention of the incompetence and ineffectiveness of the previous Committee), we finally have a united, well-organized Town Committee, ready for a major election campaign next year. We know that the opposing party will launch a major campaign to regain its power, with the consequences of tax increases, divisions, etc. following should they win. Any action that weakens our GOP’s united front to retain the majority is insulting to our fellow citizens who support our Republican and Conservative values and also an affront to our whole community’s expectations.
(2) It is the duty of the Committee to find talented people with political ambitions. We should encourage such people to participate in the many different positions, memberships available in the different entities of our Town Government. To participate in this process of nomination is a great responsibility for the members of the Committee. Now, in view of this fact, let’s analyze the situation for a minute. If the chair (or any other officer) of the Committee (or of any Board, Commission, etc) is doing an excellent, constructive job (as David is certainly doing, in our case), how would the common good be served if somebody wants to replace him/her only to satisfy his/her own blind ambition? Then, the inevitable question arises: how can we expect one to have the wisdom and temperament to make objective, unselfish judgments as a Committee member, when one seems to be incapable of taking into consideration the damages that one’s actions will cause for the community?
(3) Shane probably remembers that when I was a member and Chairman of the Planning Board (for 14 years), I constantly defended our fellow citizens’ causes (many times against the opinion of our town attorney) by claiming that we should take into consideration not only the “letter of the law”, but also the “spirit of the law”. In our present situation, somebody may have the “right” (by law) to act against the common good, but still abuse and violate the “spirit of the law”. Here is the reason: ethically, whenever the Committee will discuss an issue involving the Town Board or the nomination (or support) of certain persons to a position, the question of conflict of interest will come up if a Town Board member is also a member of the Committee. If such a person is not able to understand the ethical implications of this conflict, then the natural remedy should be to convene an “executive session” without his/her presence. Obviously, that will create further division in the community, thanks to that person, who is deliberately trying to sabotage the GOP’s agenda and mission.
This is only “one man’s opinion”. I strongly believe that if we honestly want to have a strong GOP presence and good, conservative governance in our Town, we had better make sure that our ranks are united and not let the needs of the party and the community be usurped by selfish ambitions.
I’m not going to insult your intelligence by pointing out what’s wrong with this email. (On the other hand, if you don’t see it yourself, no amount of pointing out will help.) But I must tell you who was the challenger Imre Beke loved to bitch about: Town of Rochester Councilwoman Manuela Michailescu. You are not surprised.
– Jon Dogar-Marinesco
Nobody in the Republican Party paid attention when
Manuela Michailescu sounded the alarm back in 2009.
Manuela Michailescu to All Republican Committees’ Chairpersons
Dear fellow Republicans:
Please allow me to share with you a potentially explosive situation – before you become aware of it at the Republican Convention on Tuesday.
My name is Manuela Michailescu and I’m Republican Councilwoman in the Town of Rochester; I was a member of the Republican slate which won in its entirety in November 2007.
I expressed my intention to run for one of the four Legislator seats in District One, but I’ve been strongly “discouraged” to do so. I was boldly told that the Ulster County Chairman of the Independence Party – who happens to live in our town – wanted to make sure that his wife is presented with a Legislator seat, so he struck a deal with Chairman Catalano to block any Republican who intends to run in District 1.
I was denied an interview with the Wawarsing Republican Committee. Friday night I had my interview with the Rochester Republican Committee. With one voice, they said “NO” to Chairman’s deal.
Chairman Catalano attended my interview and was candid about his intentions, telling me – a Republican ELECTED Official – “I cannot let you stand in my way” and “I’d do anything to defeat you”…
I feel that Ulster County’s GOP credo has a hollow ring: “The Ulster County Republican Committee believes the principles of true democracy include smaller government, lower taxes, free markets, justice, free enterprise, freedom, liberty, integrity, equal rights and fiscal responsibility.”
Freedom, integrity, equal rights? True democracy?
I’m just wondering if something similar happens in your towns; if it does, we should not be surprised that Republicans are considered an “extinct species.”
Thank you for listening.
Manuela Michailescu
Town of Rochester Councilwoman
John Morrow to Manuela Michailescu
Your unsolicited letter to the world clearly indicates your lack of understanding of the job of the county chairman. You are writing as an individual who has absolutely no concern of the larger picture. The chairman’s support for one candidate over another in this case is in an effort to strengthen the entire legislature. His effort is to get Independence Party support for a multitude of candidates so that we may take back control of the legislature. This is a critical election and you may find this hard to believe but it is bigger than you. The deals being worked out effect each and every one of our candidates including mine here in the Town of Ulster. You are being used as a pawn.
Wake up and start playing as a team player! You should be ashamed of yourself sending out unsolicited viscous emails of this nature. Either you are ON the team or NOT. Make up your mind. If you are not then get off and join another team.
AND take me off your email list!
John Morrow
Town of Ulster Republican Committee Chairman
Bill Dukas to John Morrow
Mr. John Morrow,
This inquiring Republican would like to know; are you a thug or just a buffoon? My response to your idiotic and misspelled e-mail is not to defend Manuela, truth and courage shields her, my comments to you are personal and ideological in nature.
First, your lack of understanding of the two party system is nothing to brag about. Your attack on individuality is against one of the basic creeds of the Republican Party. You are beyond the RINO virus, you apparently suffer from pig flu.
This ‘larger picture’ code word you and Catalano banter about is meaningless in applicability unless you both intend to become filmmakers, then I’ll be the critic, and already your movie sucks.
That you should deny an honest person a run in the elections because of the backroom deals you and Catalano have made with the opposing party is inexcusable. As any high school math student knows, 3 Democrats and 1 RINO does not a Republican make. You offer nothing to the Republican agenda but self-serving interests.
And whatever team you allude to, is no team any thoughtful person would sponsor. May the Republicans and Conservatives in your town awaken from the poisonous anesthesia you and Catalano have been dishing out and avoid catatonic state before it is too late.
Mr. Morrow, I offer you these words of advice; you should keep your nose up Catalano’s butt, where it obviously found a home, and out of the affairs of Rochester’s Republicans.
Bill Dukas
Town of Rochester Resident
And nobody is paying attention when William West – former Chairman of the Ulster County Legislature and current Woodstock Republican Committee Chair – sounds the alarm now.
William West to Roger Rascoe
Roger,
I would urge that as quickly as possible you meet with Ms. Terry Bernardo and ascertain who’s team she is on – is her goal the destruction of the party? In a short two months she alone has caused more damage to our Republican party than any 30,000 county Republicans have ever done.
1.
She appointed an attorney (Independence Party) from Orange County to be Legislative Attorney – alienating all the Republican members of the Ulster County Bar – and depriving the GOP of an opportunity to groom an Ulster County person for future elected office.
2.
She ran a personal fund raiser which will drain potential funds from the County GOP and the efforts of other Republican Legislators. The county pie is only so big. I cannot recall a Legislative Chairperson ever having a personal county wide fund raiser. Normally legislators raise funds in their own district – is she so little respected in Rochester that she can’t raise campaign funds in her own Legislative District?
3.
She appointed as her secretary a member of Independence Party who has not been a friend of the GOP for many years.
4.
Unfortunately, her inept behavior is starting to tarnish the image of Senator Bonacic. This is something we definitely do not need for the upcoming election.
5.
Now she has placed all Republican Legislators in the unenviable position of having to support the unsupportable at the next Legislative meeting – the approval of the Orange County Attorney contract.
This might be an opportunity to demonstrate – to the voter – the independence of the GOP legislature. A no vote by the UC Legislature might wake up Ms. Bernardo.
I shudder to think what the next ten months will bring forth. Roger, I would urge prompt action on this matter and let us start moving in a positive direction. Maybe it should be an agenda item at the next meeting.
William West
Woodstock Republican Committee Chairman
An email from a friend pointed to me this post on Richard T. Cahill’s blog:
A new blog has taken an old quote from my blog out of context and used it as part of an attack against another blogger. While I appreciate my blog being read and appreciate being considered a source worthy of being cited, I have no issue with either of the bloggers.
If two bloggers have an issue with one another, that is their business. Please keep me out of it. I have more than enough drama in my life.
I always liked Rich’s blog, for its topics and civility. I feel his pain between the lines above, and I hope he feels mine at being accused of quoting out of context. Just to make sure we are all on the same page, here is what “out of context” means, at least according to Wikipedia:
What part of “removed from its surrounding matter in such a way as to distort its intended meaning” is hard to understand? Look at the way I quoted Rich:
“This is without question the most vicious, idiotic, foolish, nonsensical, moronic, unfair, juvenile, and hateful attack piece I have ever seen. I have followed national, state, county, and city politics for many years. I have seen some real nasty stuff thrown out there by irresponsible candidates. This, however, takes the cake.”
Let me repeat this, in bold lettering: Albeit about a different whopper, Rich Cahill’s description of Blaber’s blogging is fitting. Clear statement: the quote refers to a different, but similar instance. As Rich clarifies:
The intended meaning was not distorted. A bogus allegation made against Manuela Michailescu is not less reprehensible than a bogus allegation made against Nina Postupack, and I have no reasons to believe that Rich Cahill and I disagree on this. Nothing was taken out of context. Period. Case closed.
There is more in Rich’s post and comment that rubs me the wrong way:
and
I’m not attacking Blaber, I’m exposing him for being a sneaky, untrustworthy and insincere person – a weasel – and I’m signing my accusations. There is no feud between us, as there is no feud between a witness and a perpetrator.
I know from Hugh Reynolds about some of the drama in Rich Cahill’s life:
It’s not easy to stand in. It’s even harder to stand up. Request granted.
– Jon Dogar-Marinesco
The Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council seeks projects wishing to be designated as Priority Projects by the Council for the 2012 round of Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) awards from New York State. A priority project is one that directly or indirectly creates a significant number of jobs, fits one of the goals identified by the Council, leverages private-sector resources, and has impact at a level that can be transformational for the region. Those wishing to respond to this call for proposals should fill out the attached worksheet and submit it by the deadline.
On one of her anemic blogs – this one named Mocking Robin – Terry Bernardo writes:
And the problem is? Let me make this clear: Terry Bernardo and Jeremy Blaber are weasels. And if her memory is conveniently too short or too selective to remember the things she did, here is a refresher:
Back in 2009, petrified by the possibility that her husband’s dirty deals would be impeded by Rochester Councilwoman Manuela Michailescu’s running for one of the four District 1 legislative seats, Terry Bernardo started a smear campaign. Jeremy Blaber provided the blog, Terry Bernardo provided the lies, and the comments followed.
If you don’t have the curiosity or the stomach to go through all the garbage, here is a small sampler of the comments referring to my wife Manuela and myself:
“I hope these two dirt-bags are planning to leave Ulster County for good.”
“PS: to this Manuela person, you should be ashamed of yourself, you should apologize to your entire town and move away, get a new name, start a new life.”
“Beware of these two Romanian Gypsies, they attack and destroy everything in their path.”
“If this woman and her frightening “husband” don’t leave town this information should be handed over to authorities.”
“Hopefully they will move out of town and take their nasty unhappiness with them.”
“I agree, I hope that they leave and take their nasty unhappiness with them too.”
“There is something wrong with this woman. Perhaps she is mentally ill. I would be so embarrassed by all of this that I would have resigned just to to avoid being exposed in this public way.”
Everything you have just read was written by Terry and Len Bernardo and a few choice supporters. And everything was approved by Jeremy Blaber.
Before I forget: Terry Bernardo and Jeremy Blaber are weasels.
– Jon Dogar-Marinesco
Long before being formally “elected” the leader of the Ulster County Legislature, Terry Bernardo made it very clear around the County Building how she wants to be called: Madam Chair.
We, at Mocking Robin, felt uncomfortable using this appellative, so we put our heads together trying to come up with a better one, more fitting for Madam’s distinctive attributes: no ethics, no guts, no convictions and no empathy; arrogance, bad temper and vindictiveness; obsession with status and power – all seasoned with scheming, lying, pretense, fake innocence, narcissism, and never looking people in the eyes.
We, at Mocking Robin, humbly submit our choice and hope that it conforms to Terry Bernardo’s standards: Madam Stool.
SUNDAY MATINEE
What is Terry Bernardo trying to achieve?
Beats me, but a better question is why would she make public this strange narcissistic video of herself being pushed off the low bar and pulled off the high bar? Viewers’ explanations are welcome.
Rochester Smoke Out 