Guest Column
- Guest Column
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- Saturday, December 8, 2012
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The reality of renewable energy sources
- Saturday, December 1, 2012
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Let's use the Clean Water Act here
- Saturday, November 24, 2012
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Growth, clean energy aren't mutually exclusive
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The great green energy boondoggle
- Sunday, November 11, 2012
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The best-laid plans oft go astray
- Saturday, November 3, 2012
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For God's sake, get out and vote!
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Making the most of the Catskill Mountains
- Saturday, October 6, 2012
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Otsego Manor has no choice but to adapt
Why do I support the thoughtful handing off of Otsego Manor to a provider that has a record of good care?
- Saturday, September 8, 2012
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Shale gas drilling can sustain upstate New York's future
A few weeks ago this newspaper printed two AP stories with no apparent connection. However, the Gas Wars make for strange bedfellows, even on the news beat.
- Saturday, August 4, 2012
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The deck is stacked against renewable energy
Dick Downey in his latest guest editorial quotes a recent remark I made at an Otsego County Gas Advisory Committee meeting that "a dollar spent on natural gas is one less dollar spent on renewables."
- Saturday, July 28, 2012
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Renewable energy vs. the real world
A fractivist ended a recent Otsego County Natural Gas Advisory Committee's meeting by intoning "a dollar spent on natural gas is one less dollar spent on renewables." Deep, man, but what does this mean? It's probably about subsidies so let's scroll back to Economics 101.
- Saturday, June 30, 2012
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Vive la hospitality of Otsego County!
NetSummary
- Saturday, April 7, 2012
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If we don’t develop a sustainable system, who will?
In Otsego County’s local elections last fall, a number of candidates — most of them on the independent Sustainable Otsego line — ran on an anti-fracking, pro-sustainability platform. They recognized that our current way of life — dependent on increasingly scarce, costly and polluting fossil fuels — cannot continue.
- Wednesday, April 4, 2012
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Time to get off the bus and on the computer
Seventy-five years ago, use of a new technology resulted in a dramatic transformation of education in our region and in rural areas throughout the country.
- Thursday, March 22, 2012
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Cuomo's Machiavellian maneuvers are a danger
New York State has a long history of problems with money -- high income taxes, high property taxes, and a high lifestyle in Albany that seems to attract lots of politicians with high, even presidential, aspirations. For decades our politicians have sucked up enormous wealth from businesses and individuals, and redistributed it in ways that ensure their continued political employment. The Empire runs on money, and recognizing this fact, it should be simple to figure out how the fracking debate is going to play out over the next few months in Albany.
- Saturday, January 14, 2012
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Home rule laws aren't a radical idea
A lot of discussion and debate has occurred in our area lately over the issue of 'home rule' as it would apply to natural gas drilling. Let me offer some thoughts and my perspective on the issue and on the legislation I have sponsored (S. 5830) to enable local governments to treat natural gas drilling the way zoned communities treat any other commercial, industrial or residential use.
- Tuesday, November 22, 2011
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Sustainable shouldn't be a dirty word
Sustainable Otsego has been in the news a lot lately. We have been vocal critics of hydrofracking for natural gas both locally and statewide, and we put together with the Democrats a winning slate of pro-sustainability, pro-home rule, anti-fracking candidates in the recent elections.
- Saturday, November 5, 2011
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Fracking fears are based on facts
Some recent letters in The Daily Star and other local papers have implied that supporters of candidates for town and county offices who oppose gas drilling are fear-mongering, or that we can rely on the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to protect us.
- Saturday, October 22, 2011
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Tea goes well with 'Occupy'
Otsego County supporters of the Tea Party will remember me. In 2009, we marched in outrage against the bi-partisan $800 billion taxpayer bailout of Wall Street.
- Monday, October 17, 2011
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City charter deserves support
Having served as mayors of the City of Oneonta, we write to urge the city’s voters to approve the proposed new city charter on Nov. 8.



