Anonymous in New York

Roughly 3,700 retired public workers in New York are getting pensions of more than $100,000 a year. The New York Times collected this public information from the state’s two pension funds and four of the five city funds. The pension plan for the city's firefighters has yet to provide information, as required under public information laws. Some pension funds said they could not provide figures like job title or final salary; the N.Y.P.D. Pension Fund would not disclose names.

One would think that since the taxpayers of New York are footing the bill for the golden years of the public safety pensioners, they might want to know who they are. It is the law, afterall.

And perhaps not coincidentally, New York state is ranked #4 in states most likely to default.

H/T: Carpe Diem

Doing the Right Thing Pt. II

The contenders based their conclusion on the view that Paterson, after nearly two months of indecision, would "greatly embarrass" and "entirely humiliate" Kennedy, anger her prominent political family and even offend President-elect Barack Obama by picking someone other than President John F. Kennedy's daughter.

For the love of all that’s right in a democracy: patronage, political dynasties and kissing ass…. quit screwing around, Paterson and make this happen.

We’ve fought too hard for this to let you goon-up a golden opportunity to reward Princess for all those books she wrote and awards she presents.

(Kennedy family scion, Caroline Kennedy pictured on left)

When rural blight goes Green

"Whaddya mean you don’t want one in your back yard? Perhaps this will change your mind."

Like a scene from the Owens Valley in the early part of last century when Metropolitan Water District officials from Los Angeles played divide and conquer with the citizens of the Eastern Sierras for water rights, a lack of state regulations regarding wind turbines has resulted in zoning shenanigans, conflicts of interests and neighbor against neighbor in one particular upstate New York county… a scene which will repeat itself across the country as wind power is currently the “It” girl of renewable energy and the prospect of jobs and money the wind turbines bring with it prove hard to resist.

Article here.