Lighthouse Project Featured at Republican Roundtable

Saturday's gathering was billed as the Republican Roundtable on Economic Development, Sports and Tourism on Long Island. It may as well have been called, “How Can the Lighthouse Project Help YOUR Business?”

When they coined the term “Government for the people, by the people” I hardly think they had any idea there would be THAT many people to govern. Surely, you can never make everyone happy. However, the amount of industries and small businesses that could benefit from the proposed Lighthouse Project development and all it entails is remarkable and something I would have never thought of.

While this discussion was based on the sports industries, tourism and performing arts were also on the table for discussion.

As the NY Islanders are the only major sports franchise on based within Nassau or Suffolk County, we are not in any financial position to lose them. The smart thing to do would be to bring in MORE sports franchises and events. That is what Assemblyman Rob Walker (R,C,I,WF-Hicksville) and Assemblyman Robert D. Barra (R,C,I-14th Assembly District) are trying to do.

A good portion of this meeting was about formulating a new bill to legalize Mixed Martial Arts in the State of NY. I didn’t know it was illegal here, but there are states where it is legal, and it is bringing not only fans, but tax revenue. Marc Ratner, Vice President for Regulatory Affairs, Ultimate Fighting Championship, stated emphatically that they did not want to bring the UFC to any area that would not regulate it. “We want to be regulated and pay taxes. This sport is on regional, national and cable TV. You’re not protecting people on Long Island. We’ll do big business.” It’s a growing industry. There are 44 states that have an athletic committee. Thirty-seven of them have now approved Mixed Martial Arts. “I’m disappointed that New York State is holding people hostage.”

“We do a good job of that.” Mr. Walker quipped.

The six annual UFC shows generate $50 million dollars in revenue. This will bring a windfall in both state and local taxes, which the UFC is willing and EAGER to pay. But where can they have these events? If the current coliseum loses its main tenant, the county will not be able to afford to renovate it and therefore it will not be able to be profitable. As a matter of fact, one of the assemblymen stated he believed that right now the I.D.E.A. (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) can come in and condemn the building.

In addition to the renovated Coliseum, the Lighthouse Project includes a convention center facility. Think hard. When was the last time you saw a major convention being held on Long Island? You haven’t. They are all held in Manhattan because Long Island has no facility that can host one. This fact was reinforced by Joan LaRosa, Director of Sales, Long Island Convention & Visitors' Bureau and Sports Commission. “We have no place for a convention. We’ve actually had to turn away meetings and conventions.”

Turning them away is turning away their revenue, not only for the local governments but for the small business owners as well.

Rich Giuardino from Hofstra University said “The Lighthouse Project is important for this region. We hosted a Presidential debate (at Hofstra). This area can handle a large scale event. It’s important to Nassau County and the Island. We have to create our own stimulus plan. We want to lend our voice to the support of this project.”

Another voice of support for the project, although absent from this meeting, is Frank Boulton of the very successful Long Island Ducks. He would love to have a second minor league baseball team on Long Island, especially in a brand new stadium in the center of Nassau if the County would RFP it. Think of the employment as well as the entertainment value. What a perfect marriage since the last remnants of the hockey season is the first week of June. Another baseball stadium would keep that area busy and profitable all summer long.

Michael Picker, President of the Lighthouse Project, addressed the panel. “We’re looking for answers and trying to get to the finish line. Our principal has set a deadline of October. After that, all bets are off. We’re trying to get approval and we are struggling a little. The project brings significant benefits. With it come issues, which we will deal with.”

Mr. Picker was asked what some of the obstacles are that he felt they are facing. Mr. Picker answered “The SEQRA (State Environmental Quality Review Act) process: Is it doing what it should be doing?”

I didn’t realize that the developer pays a consultant to review the documents for completeness for the town. The SEQRA process also identifies a maximum time frame, but it doesn’t identify a minimum. Is that really fair while the developer pays for the process?
“They have a maximum of 45 days to review the SEQRA. It doesn’t mean they can’t take less. It’s an important project.”

It seems that the first pass is supposed to be for completeness and not for debate on the conclusions. “There were 179 comments on the first round. Nineteen were valid. That means 89% of the first round were not questions they should be asking now.”

Politics as usual as the town passes the “puck” to the County and so on. But ‘We as Long Island need to decide what we WANT for Long Island.’

Assemblyman Fred Thiele, who has had experience with SEQRA, chimed in. “SEQRA can be used as a tool or a weapon.” Mr. Thiele is a representative from the East End of Long Island. “You can have a good law and bad officials, or a bad law and good officials. We need to do everything we can to keep you [the Islanders] here. It is of critical importance.”

Mr. Picker continued, “No one wants to skip steps. Just don’t let politics get in the way. We get a battle between the Republicans and the Democrats. How do we get it done?”

This is an age old question. How do you get the parties to agree on something – anything - that will benefit everyone?

“There are bathrooms OUTSIDE the Coliseum.” This is indeed embarrassing. “We are so far behind the times. The county loses money on the Coliseum today. Without your major tenant, this building just goes away.”

Meanwhile, the Islanders organization is being courted by many areas in North America and Canada. “We have told everyone, we’re not interested. But once the time comes, we may have to think differently.” Mr. Picker was not issuing an ultimatum, just stating fact.

Sports franchises are different from other businesses. Retail can pack up and move in a blink. They can pull a truck up in the middle of the night and be up and running in a different spot 24 hours later. You can’t do that with a hockey team. Time is of the essence here. “You can’t wait until 2012 to think about where it’s going to be.”

The assemblymen listened as Mr. Picker detailed what they already knew; how much tax revenue the county will lose if the Islanders have to relocate and how much tax revenue could be garnered if their development is approved.

Some detractors may say the Lighthouse Project has over estimated the potential revenue stream. “Just take HALF our numbers and tell me if you think they’re good.” In a cash-strapped economy, even half is staggering.

But if two prominent, highly visible Long Islanders can’t get a project done on Long Island, what does that say to anyone else who may want to develop and improve our economy? “Charles wants to create a new industry, creating good paying jobs that marry sports and technology.” He is willing to invest in our economy. Is there anyone else on this short line?

“What permits do you need?” Mr. Picker was asked. I thought he would be able to recite them in alphabetical or numeric order. But he answered “Our application is for 150 acres. We own eight acres of land. We put forth an application for 300 five-star hotel rooms, a conference center to do mid-level conferences, 2300 residential units, 20% of which are next generation, 500,000 sq. ft. of retail space, which would be complimentary. This is a mix-use, SMART-use development. We’ve spent $15,000,000 on this entitlement process. We need answers. We need the P.D.P. (Planned Development Permit) approved, the lease done with the County (which they have already begun working on), Sub-division approval and DEC and DOT signoffs.”

Mr. Picker said something very important that I hope didn‘t fall on deaf ears. “If we don‘t work sequentially we can‘t do it. We‘re surrounded by a lot of communities with varying view points. We can‘t please ALL of them.”

One of these groups that were identified in Newsday is the veterans. While the veterans’ organizations showed up to the 180th Community Outreach meeting and endorsed the project, a follow-up article cited complaints regarding the naming of the arena. What was not covered in that article was the fact that the Lighthouse group had worked with the veterans in order to come up with a compromise to properly recognize them. By changing the name of the roadway where the development will be built, that would assure that the words “Veterans Memorial” would not be dropped from the Nassau Coliseum vocabulary.

In all seriousness, how many of us actually call it “The Nassau County Veterans Memorial Coliseum”? Find me one.

Certainly traffic concerns are at the top of the list. Considering how much money, time and effort have been expended studying the traffic situation, Mr. Picker made an obvious statement. “If we create an unbearable traffic situation, we hurt ourselves.”

There were 279 intersections covered in the DGIS. Some would need to be configured right away, and others as the project develops. Traffic is a wide spread problem. Even Ron Foley, Regional Director for Long Island, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, admitted the traffic situation the annual air show over Jones Beach creates is a problem. Does anyone say “don’t do it”?

As one of the assemblymen took a trip down memory lane, he said something I never thought about. Years ago on a Saturday night when Roosevelt Raceway was open with 30,000 patrons, and the Islanders were playing with 12,000 patrons, and Hofstra may have had a basketball game, the roadways clogged, but they were not at a standstill. “It’s not as big a problem as people think.”

There are ways to ease traffic problems: staggered work hours, traffic pattern changes during high volume egress of events, among others. The problems are not insurmountable. “The peak hours are only part of the day.” Mr. Picker reasoned.

We have an opportunity to create a world-class leisure and recreational destination. We have the opportunity to create our own stimulus bill. We don’t have what the Lighthouse Project has to offer anywhere on Long Island. It can be a catalyst for change, or it can be a parking lot.

The people have to choose. The people have to be heard. The people have to tell their political representatives what they want. And they have to tell them NOW.

In Appreciation of Doug Weight

So many of you may not have seen this, but this paragraph prefaced the game notes on Saturday afternoon that are sent out by the Customer Service Dept.

"I’ll take a hundred like Doug Weight. The man loves the game. He plays with integrity, and is respected around the league and around the locker room. Watching this guy do whatever it takes to give his team the respect it deserves is an inspiration to us all. In all my years I had never seen a player throw down his gloves so emphatically they way he dad last Saturday v Philadelphia. He had no problem doing it again Thursday night. Yet, off the ice he is one of the most affable and likeable characters of the game. The fact that he still wears molded boot skates just increases the amount of respect this writer has for the guy."


Truer words were never spoken. He's one veteran I wouldn't mind seeing in September in an Islanders jersey again.

Scott Gordon: Playing for Pride & Next Season's Roster

There is no "tanking" in Uniondale. The team that suits up for coach Scott Gordon plays to the best of their ability. After all, they want Gordon to see them as a perfect fit for his team next season. They also play for each other. Whether Islander or Sound Tiger, they are a team.

The newest promotion last night on the Jumbotron was something to the effect of each prominent Islanders player who had spent time on the Sound Tigers saying something like "I was born in Bridgeport." It made a statement. The call ups you see now can very well be the Islander stars of tomorrow. Providing "tomorrow" ever comes.

Scott Gordon spent at least 90 seconds of the four-minute post game interview smiling at some of the questions that were asked. Winning always makes him smile. Even if it does mean possibly changing the Islanders rank in the draft lottery.

Scott Gordon spends so much time teaching and coaching that he doesn't have time for stat watching. "Until you told me we were a game over 500, I didn't know." He told C.J. Papa with a broad smile. "It's important we do well in the second half." (Which is now down to a number of games you can count on one hand.)

He had some nice things to say about Jesse Joensuu "He used his speed, he was physical. His positioning was good all night. Obviously he's a guy we are excited about for the future. I was really happy with Jesse. I thought he played well."

I think Jesse would be happy to hear that as he said in the locker room, "The biggest thing on my mind when I get here is always that I'm living my dream. When you get points, it pumps up your confidence. When I got to the locker room and saw that I would play with Doug Weight and Richard Park, I just thought that, I can't think about it, because if I think about my line mates I'm going to be somewhere except on the ice. So I just tried to forget who I played with." Yep, Jesse is living his dream.

The future also is looking brighter for Josh Bailey, who did have a slow start coming directly from Juniors. "For Josh, the offensive for him is going to build as he gets stronger. The biggest take away for me is the skating part of it, and that will improve. But the fact that he is moving his feet, he's getting more opportunities because of it. He's around the puck more often. As a result, he gets that goal because he was in stride."

Gordon has been working with Josh... a lot..."It's identifying, showing him on video and in practice that once you move the puck there's someplace to go. That's the biggest thing. In juniors he's probably so accustomed to slowing the play down, timing his options and standing still. When you're at a standstill, it's easy to get locked in. Now when he moves the puck, he's moving his spots and whether it's to be part of a fore check on an unsuccessful pass or to be part of a tag on a successful pass, it leads to opportunities offered to him."

Josh is a good student as he told the reporters "The system is second nature now. When you see plays like that work out, it gives you some satisfaction. I think the part of the first year is adapting to the league and learning stuff that you have to do and get away with. I think as of late I feel as if I've grown more as a player."

Gordon would tend to agree with you Josh.

With Yann Danis in net following his previous high scoring loss, Gordon once again touted his faith in the young goaltender. "One of the things I was talking to Yann about before the game was, I want to see that sort of response I saw tonight. He had three goals go off of sticks, kind of flukey type and then he had the one that came down the middle of the ice and they scored on, which I didn't think there was a whole lot he could do on. That being said, he even said he felt pretty good. It was just one of those games that you don't get the bounces and for me tonight I thought he was really good."

Notice something here, Scott Gordon remembers every play from every game. I know I've said it before, but I will say it again. From a tactical standpoint, this man just amazes me. Granted, he may lose me completely from time to time with his technical explanations. When that happens, I just focus on what he's wearing. I don't think we've ever had a GQ model coach before. Have we?

Yann Danis feels the same way about bad losses as ex-goalie Scott Gordon, "It's part of the game. All goalies have to go through it. All you have to do is battle through it and stay positive and eventually things will get better. I hate losing."

I was snapped back into the post game by the next question regarding the five Bridgeport call-ups. The answer was simple. He knew not to completely devastate Jack's team when they are playing today at 1 pm and are headed for post season when the Islanders are heading for the golf course. He admitted that calling Mitch Fritz up was because Tampa had come down hard last time on Jackman. Fritz was just a little added protection along with Rechlichz. In the end, Joel beat Fritz on the stat sheet in every column. More shifts, more ice time, more penalty minutes and more love from the crowd. (Although Fritz did take a face off and won helping to bring the Islanders face off percentage to a whopping 59%.)

Not to leave out his veteran players, Gordon said "I thought Marty and Witter were solid. I don't know what the final total was for scoring chances on their top line, but those guys did a great job."

They did such a great job that the Islanders walked away with three goals and free chili for their fans from Wendy's. Everyone please remember to ask for it today. And don't look at the lottery standings. Gordon doesn't.

Isles vs. Tampa Bay 4/4/09

Can someone please remember to go to Wendy's and order their free Chili tomorrow! I keep blasted forgetting! Even if I don't eat it, I can always give it to Big Angry Man! Hmmm... I should probably pack it up. Islanders are on a power play and the mustic has decided to go haywire. Later for you!

9:13 pm, and once again, while my head is down, Josh Bailey scores another NHL goal!


I figured I've only got one more game here at the Coliseum, maybe I should actually take a photo of Coach Gordon. Besdies, I'm just a tad bored. Ho humm...

9:03 pm: Tambellini does have one hell of a shot! It rang so loud off the post, I think everyone woke up!

End of 2: It seems the door didn't open to the tunnel yet again and a collision and arguement ensured. It turned into a dogpile. Considering how meaningless this game is, it has become rather "chippy" wouldn't you say? Would have been nice for Doug Weight to score one more on that last shift of his. So close. Very close.

8:36 pm: Tampa scores and the lead is cut to one. Islesblogger MIKE is cheering Tampa on! But I understand.

8:30 pm: Okay then So first Radek Martinek scores the second goal of the evening on a power play and when I'm trying to figure out how to spell his freakin' name, the Wrecker gets into it with Konopka. They each get five for fighting and Joel gets an extra 2 for charging. Iggulden gets the time in the box for the Wrecker.

Interesting: Thompson gets kicked out and Fritz takes a face off. Mind you if we could end the game at the end of the first, our face off percentage would be at 50%. Better than it has been all year.

At least the Islanders kept the action in the Tampa zone, but still the score remains the same and the SOG are almost even at 12 - 13

As the second period begins: I'm looking at the stat sheet and Joel Rechlicz has already played five shifts in the first period. Also, Hillen is on the ice, so maybe it was just a skate problem before. Now, I don't know if it's because Mary St. Louis is just so short, or he just hasn't been that effective because I keep missing him even though he has had seven shifts in the first. And the Isles are on a power play at 8:13 pm, 13:23 of the 2nd. Let's see if they can do something with it.

7:44 pm: With only a few seconds left in the third, Hillen hit the ice at the blue line awkwardly for some reason. Could be a rut, could be a skate blade. He made a second attempt to get up and went down again. He limped slightly, continued to skate and went t the bench for the final 2.2 seconds. Hope he's okay. He's been getting major minutes this game. They are interviewing Jesse who had the assist on Park's goal.

7:35 pm: Big missed opportunity for Jesse as he came SO close to banging one over McKenna.
7:23 pm: It's Town Of Oyster Bay Night here. And the Town Supervisor gave a semi-thumbs up to the Lighthouse project while also promoting their brand new ice rink.

That's the one I still have a bump on my head from... ouch.

7:17 pm: And Gary tells me, THIS IS WHY WE brought him up! As big Mitch Fritz squares off with Koci. And (Nice of Wrecker to deliver his equipment to the sin bin.)


7:10 pm: 19:37 on the clock. I blinked. The puck went in the net. They're going to rush this game I see. 1 shot, 1 goal. That's another one for Richard Park. The man who was longing for playoffs.

7:05 pm: This year's winner of the Bobby Nystrom award is big #28, Tim Jackman. Congrats to him.


6:55 pm: One more reason for me to hate the fact that we don't have an audio feed in the blog box even though I can see CJ Papa doing the pregame show at ice level. Islanders Point Blank media star Chris Botta was just interviewed by CJ. I'll have to find out what he said later.

6:44 pm: So Big Angry Man said the only reason they have both Fritz and Rechlichz in the line up tonight is so they will pummel any Islander who scores a goal. he he he he...


But it was nice to hear the crowd up at the glass chant "Wrecker! Wrecker!" He IS a fan favorite.

Well, we are down to the wire here at the Coliseum. Tonight there are two teams vying for... absolute LAST place. So far, the Islanders are winning that battle. But in my estimation, I think the boys from the Palm Tree state would love to have that dubious distinction.

I had an odd thought about it. Suppose they want it so bad, they decide to pull their goalie ... for the whole game? Or maybe send three players out blind folded? Come on? It would be funny.

But one man who won't be on the Coliseum ice tonight is Tampa super star Vinny Lecavalier, much to the dismay of many female fan.

There are FIVE Sound Tiger call ups for tonight's game; Fraser, Fritz, Iggulden, Joensuu and Rechlicz. This is where the "system" comes in handy. Doesn't it?

Republican Round Table Sat Morning 4/4/09

I won't be able to write the entire thing right now as I'm sitting here in the blog box waiting for something (anything) to happen. Waiting for the Isles vs. Tampa. But I spent the afternoon listening on the sidelines to a group of Republican Assemblymen and representatives from various sports groups, Hofstra University, OTB and the Dept. of Tourism.

They all sat quietly while Michael Picker laid out the problems currently facing the Lighthouse Project team with regard to the time line for decisions on the DGEIS.

"The problem is the DGELS is only supposed to be reviewed for completeness and accuracy alone, not for conclusions."

It was a very interesting meeting, to say the least. But I did walk away with a few harsh realities.

1) Politics is the bane of Long Island's existence.
2) 30 people dictate the good of everybody else.

There was not one soul on the panel of speakers who had any objections to the Lighthouse mix-use development being built. It would have benefits that extend in numerous directions. Everyone was in agreement. But at the end of three and a half hours I asked, "Now... what are you going to do about it?"

And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is the $3 billion question.

More to come on the (actually, seriously) fascinating meeting some time over the weekend.

Keith Primeau Using His Head Once Again

I almost thought it was a joke when I saw the headline on NHL.com, but it's not. It's actually a very noble thing. Keith Primeau will be donating his brain to science when he dies.

Primeau was my favorite Captain. I know, he's a Flyer. According to my husband, I shouldn't feel this way.

It was the way he carried himself during playoffs that made me really appreciate him as a player. The fact he had to cut his career short due to concussion problems was truly a shame.

In light of the deaths caused by head trauma these past few months, this is a wonderful thing for him to do. He is currently an assistant coach for a high school hockey team in New Jersey.

Yes, Keith Primeau was my favorite captain.

10 Days, 5 Games and Done

That's what the Islanders and the fans have left.

NY Baseball is taking over the minds and hearts of NY sports fans with the two brand-new stadiums that will draw record setting crowds at record setting prices. Money will flow, newspapers will be filled, airwaves will be crowded with the sounds of the Boys of Summer.

Meanwhile, back in Uniondale, the only major sports franchise on Long Island will remain desolately waiting. The more I think about it, the more upset I become. How long did it take them to build the new Yankee Stadium? How long did it take to build CitiField?

How long does it take to build ANYTHING in Nassau County? It is exponential.

There were only two dates in the news yesterday that offered me any hockey to look forward to in the coming months. The first two Sound Tigers play off games at the Coliseum will be April 17th & 18th. I have already purchased my Group Loop package for the Friday game. I wouldn't miss it. Should the Tigers move on, I will be heading to Bridgeport as well.

Then there was the announcement of the Draft party in June to be held once again at the Coliseum. I don't believe it will turn into the same fan-stampede as it did last year. Or at least, I hope not.

I can only suggest to the powers that be that it would be really great to have Rick DiPietro as the Master Of Ceremony this year. The fan base would love to see him and I'm sure he has stories about his draft experience to entertain us. We miss Rick, especially with the demise of ITV coverage.

Game Day Saturday, but will either team really want to win? Ten days, Five games... and done.

Habs & Fans 5 - Isles 1

Where the hell do they all come from? It's a Thursday night! Don't any of these people work? I was told there were at least 13 busloads of Habs fans tonight at the Coliseum. It was a sea of Red. We all know how passionate the Canadians are about their hockey, but is this a roving band of gypsies that just follow the team from city to city? Do they pitch red tents in parks at night and dance around camp fires?

Okay then. We didn't expect much tonight, did we? We knew with the line up this game wasn't going to be easy. But it got down right ugly and then down right hard to watch.

Joel Rechlicz, who spent three seconds more in the box than he did actually on the ice, attempted to dance with big Georges Laraque. I think the veteran got a little bit of a kick out of watching the rookie try to have a go at him. I was happy young #40 wasn't a casualty.

But watching Doug Weight, out of sheer frustration, take on Glen Metropolit with a handful of minutes left in the third, just astounded me. Okay, it was a little interesting watching the look on Metropolit's face as he tried to hold Weight at bay. But it wasn't necessary for sure for anyone but maybe Doug.

Jeff Tambellini had the lone Islanders goal with a rocket shot. The type he is used to scoring in the AHL. Hopefully, he'll get used to scoring them in the NHL.

And as if that wasn't enough, Andy Hilbert left the ice with a rib injury. He did not return. The way it looks now, I don't think any of them are likely to return to close out the season.

It was just a bad day all around. I shall put an end to it now.

Good night.

Count Them 30th, but Don't Count them EASY

We warned you! All 29 of you! If you thought you could just walk away with two points and not have to work for them, you are finding out the NY Islanders have other plans. You'll have to TAKE them.

While the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and the Utah Grizzles will both be playing in the post season, there are no playoff hopes for the NY Islanders. There haven't been since, oh, Christmas perhaps. But that doesn't mean that this team doesn't make it entertaining to watch every single game left.

CJ Papa, Bill Jaffe and Howie Rose are all planning their next assignments after Easter. Their reporting on these games has become more relaxed and enjoyable. Jaffe is always ready to point out the little things that will mean so much to the club NEXT season. Even if September seems so far away right now.

With yet another injury to All-Star Mark Streit, I had little hope of last night's game being anything less than a harsh loss. But I, like the rest of Islanders Country, was nodding with quiet satisfaction as the Islanders were actually ahead for a good number of minutes.

There ARE bright spots on the ice. This helped to balance out my anger an despair over the political occurrences of yesterday regarding the Lighthouse project.

I have never been involved in politics. I tend to stay as far away as possible. I vote, but I do not try to get caught up in the red tape of it all. (Okay, I admit I will occasionally turn off Home Ice and listen to NPR. shhhhh... THAT'S a secret.) But this political push-pull between Nassau County and the Town of Hempstead truly has me wringing my hands and shaking my head.

My "emotional ownership" of the team and the place I grew up is causing me undue heartache. I cannot imagine my life without being able to attend an NHL hockey game. I will not travel to Brooklyn or Queens more than occasionally to see one. I would seriously rather cross the sound to Bridgeport or spend a weekend in Boston.

Better yet, I would rather spend a four day vacation in Columbus. There I could watch an NHL game in a state-of-the-art arena. Dine in a variety of great restaurants, skate with my daughter at the Chiller practice facility, stroll the cobblestone commons toting my Starbucks and a danish and check out the condos overlooking it all, just to see what MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN NASSAU COUNTY!!!!

In all honesty, if you think that this project is too big to work, you have not done your homework. I'm heartsick.

Oh, yes... Ovechkin is a hockey God and Mike Green was chosen 29th in his draft. How many picks does Garth and Company have this year in the top 60???

The Islanders are on the road to greatness, Nassau County is on the road to nowhere.

Kick Me, Kate

It's 7 am on Wednesday, April 1st. The last thing I expected to read with my morning tea was an article about TOH Supervisor Kate Murray petitioning residents to obtain stimulus money to renovate the Coliseum and basically giving Charles Wang and Company a big FU.

A large part of me is hoping that due to the timing of the entry on Islanders Point Blank, this is all just a cruel joke.

Read it for yourself, and formulate your own opinion and response. There were well over 100 responses in his comments section already.

Right now, I can only say to Ms. Murray that if you think President Obama is going to be interested in giving Federal Stimulus money to renovate the Nassau Coliseum you are no better than that photo I have borrowed from the Internet.

I do believe that Mr. Obama has a few more important things to deal with right now than our little political power struggle over a County in dire need of tax revenue, a Republican Supervisor with lawn mowing goats, and a Real Estate development group looking to build a multi-use development that would benefit EVERYONE on Long Island.

As Mr. Wang has said before, there comes a time where you just throw your hands up and say "I'm done."

Ms. Murray, you are doing everyone a considerable disservice with your childish stances. The needs and wants of the majority should not be controlled by the temper tantrums of the few. THAT is NOT how politics is supposed to work.

But this is the way politics in Nassau County has worked for years; the ever present caving to smaller interest groups with deeper pockets and at times coercion. Nothing gets done in Nassau County. And if it remains political "business as usual," nothing will EVER get done in Nassau County.

Hey Ms. Murray.... Here's your sign!