Today’s sign of how shitty the economy is (not to mention our “leadership” here in NY State), is the cancellation of the Empire State Games – an Olympics-style competition for amateur athletes from around the State, who participate in several different age groups. The games began here in Syracuse back in 1978, and were the first State games in the US. They were so successful that they spurred similar games in many other states.

Originally, the games were supposed to stay in Syracuse (since we’re in the middle of the State, and probably since nobody else actually wanted them). They were done so well and brought so much money in to the local economy ($10- $12 million) that other cities in the State started whining, and the games began to rotate around in 1985.

Now, our short-sighted Governor (pun intended) has seen fit to remove all funding for the games. The state’s share of the games’ budget (a whopping $1.7 million out of $3 million) will help cut the state’s $16 billion budget deficit by, oh let’s see, about one one-hundredth of one percent. Never mind the impact on Poughkeepsie (this year’s venue) in tough economic times, how much revenue will the state will lose in sales tax, hotel surcharges, etc.? Well, never mind. That would be thinking ahead, and if there’s one thing we don’t here in NY, it’s think ahead (otherwise maybe we wouldn’t have cut taxes for the rich folks quite so much while times were good).

Another example of these hard times is the decision by my old high school to go digital-only with the school newspaper, after more than 50 years of producing a print version. Funny, it calls the paper “award winning,” but I don’t remember it winning any awards (truth be told,
I’m not even sure I remember having a school newspaper – I don’t exactly think of high school as my “Glory Days”), though it must be true, ‘cuz I remember the catch name, “Rampages.” We were the “Red Rams.” Get it? Hey, don’t look at me, I didn’t name it.

The only thing I really remember about high school was that it was surrounded by woods, and we had so many kids in my gym class, that when we played baseball, I used to drift out to deep right field and kind of keep on drifting until I was in the woods and gone. Nobody ever noticed. That’s always been my one true talent in life: not being noticed.

The race for Kirsten Gillibrand’s House seat (NY-20) is basically tied now. I’ve seen reports of both candidates up by 12 votes, and the Democrat up by 6. So, this isn’t likely to be over any time soon. In the meantime, though, we can look forward to tonight’s Real Time with Bill Maher. And oh, what a show he’s got in store for us tonight.

Bill’s guests tonight include the man with the the oldest toupee in the news business, the semi-retired Sam :omg: Donaldson. Bill also welcomes (for some reason), major asshole David “squeaky” Frum, journalist Reihan Salam, and comedian Carol Leifer. But all of those guest pale in comparison to this week’s #1 guest who will share his vast (some might say unmatched) knowledge of politics, economics, foreign affairs, and soil pipes. Yes, you guessed it, Bill welcomes Joe “the plumber” Wurzelbacher to the show. Maybe he can borrow Sam’s toupee?

Joe the plumber and David Frum on one show? I’m not sure I can watch that. I might have to strangle somebody.