Death and Taxes

Let me be the first to say that I am disgusted by people who don't vote. Why you ask? Simple. My taxes keep going up. I swear people have an extra chromosome in Central NY. The 3,000 people who did vote on the school budget passed it 2-1. Where are the other 24,000 people who live in the district?

Here's the scenario. One of the highest property taxes in America? Check. One of the highest per pupil cost in America? Check. Highest retirement spending per teacher in America? Check. Best testing outcomes in America? Eh eh. Hmmm you say. Why would you keep throwing more money at that problem every year? Why not lower the costs so that more business and people would move to the region? Instead, it is a steady flow of people that are leaving, bringing their businesses with them.

So why bitch you say? Why not leave with the rest of them? Trust me. I will leave when one of the following happens. (a) My business cant afford to do business anymore in NYS which is coming soon. (b) My daughter graduates high school and moves to a southern state like all of the other kids. (c) I grow a pair of nads and put up or shut up.

But it was only a 2.8% increase in taxes Rob! Let me educate you all in Baldwinsville a bit. The school budget spending proposal shows me a hefty $2,000,000 increase in spending this year over last. If you look closely, out of the $97,000,000 that they are spending on 5813 students district wide ($16,687 per pupil), it includes $5,000,000 from a slush fund for tough times. That means that NEXT YEAR they will have to find $5,000,000 of the 2011 budget SOMEWHERE. Duh!! I think it wont come from the slush fund since it doesn't exist anymore! Since they didn't cut the budget this year, but raised it by $2,000,000, I doubt they will cut the money next year, when the economy is presumably doing better!

All I can say is bring the lube, because next year is the year that it is going to really hurt. I'm guessing a 10% increase in school tax alone. To keep the budget at 0% growth, with no layoffs, they will need to raise a MINIMUM of $7,000,000 in new revenue. Bah! Don't worry, plenty of businesses will open in Baldwinsville, NY next year to cover the tax base increase! Haven't you noticed all the small businesses opening and all of the hiring going on? Haven't you seen all the new homes with their property tax being built? I don't know anyone who is moving away from here to find work! Shit, so many people are moving away that the student population is dropping year after year. There are 267 kids less in the district this year than in 2006. That's a 5% decline.

How do we stop it? Move. Or, you could vote.

The Crash

It was another exciting night golfing. I drove one of the useless golf carts that Beaver Meadows leases so that I can carry some beers while golfing. It's always a major pain to carry beers while walking because they are always shaken. Not only are they flat, but there is nowhere to place them while one shoots, nor do they remain remotely cold. To be a true professional, one MUST take a golf cart. Four cup holders. Did I stutter? Four cup holders at a time!! Since I drove, my bro-in-law rode for 18 with me.

Unfortunately for Jimmy, he doesn't hold many skills in the art of golf cart driving. Let me set the stage. Here we are on 16. Jimmy drives the ball off the tee, to the right, in the pine trees. All the trees are trimmed low, there is plenty of pine straw, so that one can drive a golf cart under these 60 footers without issue. Simply put your foot on the gas, drive to the ball and take your foot off, coasting to a halt next to said ball. Ron and I are in the fairway watching his approach to his ball under the trees. Jimmy with his amazing cart driving skills decides to drive from the passenger side because he is cool like that. Needless to say, it didn't turn out so hot.

We watch with horror as Jimmy mistakenly slams his foot on the gas, instead of the brake, when by his account, a branch nearly poked him in the face. The cart shoots forward, from a near stop, at what seemed like 30 miles an hour...he swerves at the last second, narrowly avoiding a full speed head-on with a tree... he still collects a large root and the side of the tree, sending the cart careening at a 60 degree angle airborne. I'm talking a good four feet in the air at top speed with all our stuff exiting the cart into the air. It sounded like a car wreck. You know, tin can type CRUNCH! Jimmy lands upright, the cart stops dead and Jimmy immediately exits the cart. Panicking, he checks for missing or damaged parts, but all seems o.k.

Ron and I are 50 yards from the wreck but were laughing SO hard at this point that we almost fell over. I haven't laughed so hard in years. With tears streaming down my face, we get to the cart and all looks great. The damage is of course, two spilled beers and humiliation. I walk to the green while Jimmy recollected himself and realized that his life had just passed before his eyes.
He pulls the cart next to us, complaining that it isn't driving right. We finish the hole and take it from there.

Upon taking the reins of the cart back, I realized that the wheels are messed up something fierce. The alignment is shot and the wheels squeeled on the pavement because they were pointing outwards in two different directions. Another laughing fit occurred because Ron could see the struggle to handle the beast, even by an experience cart jockey like myself.

I limped the beast back to the parking lot and promptly informed the cart kid that the cart started acting funny on number 16. Jimmy went to the locker room to change his shoes as he was afraid that someone might recognize him as a crash victim. I didn't bother to explain why. I have decided that next time I play with Jimmy, he needs to ride shotgun with no touching the cart, or I'll have to suffer walking and choke down warm, flat beers!

Drinko De Mayo

I think a regular tradition has been adopted. Every year from now on will be an all out, sick-ass, pinata beatin', tequila drinkin', smash to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. We will call it Drinko de Mayo. A special thanks to Ali for the new name of the party! In my book, there is nothing better than getting together with friends and family and tipping the bottle. Mix in some awesome Mexican food and you have Drinko de Mayo! Next year we will plan better and include even more friends!

I keep getting complimented for the pinata and the semi-lame fireworks display! I know for a fact that all of the chinchillas (kiddies) enjoyed the party! They were on the floor grabbing candy and coins like fleas on the back of a Mexican chihuahua.

One of the good things about this party was that we actually took pictures this time. Food was served with the likes of enchiladas, nachos, tacos, guacamole, salsa, and several other dishes that smelled so good that it started to attract the illegal aliens from down the road. As the evening progressed, so did the craziness of the event. The tequila shots and margaritas were flowing like the Rio Grande. Several people wanted to get out the guns and start firing them into the air. Just to make it seem authentic, fireworks were set off.

There are a couple of thoughts that I keep having. I wish that I had a Mariachi band. If the weather would cooperate I would line one up for next year. My ideal party would have been outdoors, with a band, porta johns, a catered bar and the same types of Mexican food. Throw in a real fireworks display and there you have it! A future plan for the 10'th anniversary Drinko de Mayo party.

I had a great time and would like to thank all the participants for coming: Rob, Lisa and kids, Mike, Molly and kids, Leo, Annette and kids, Gina, Jimmy and kid, our golf buddies -Ron and Patty and Phil and Norine, my homeys -Sissy and Senor Rob and Senorita Alyse. I'd like to thank our Mexican neighbors to the south for the food recipes, tequila and an obscure holiday to use as an excuse to get together in May!

Disclaimer - I would just like to add that all of the participants are legal residents of the USA. No illegal immigrants were invited or attended to the best of my knowledge -Even this guy!

Golf Partners

Breakfast tournament is over. I had a wonderful time with the exception of one thing that always annoys me. Forced pairings suck. The problem is that in this tourney, the pro shop randomly chooses what tools, erm partners one gets stuck, I mean - saddled, I mean - play with. Needless to say, I got stuck with a doosey. He was such a tool box that when I was asked who I played with, I got the knowing nod of disapproval. It was one of those ooooooooooh that suckssssssssssss looks. I wont mention his name but I will say that the other two partners made it worthwhile.

Ok so here is the scene: we start on hole 3. I know one of my partners so we ride to hole 3 together from the clubhouse. I don't know the other two guys from a bag of beans. They show up in cart #2. One guy I hear is a "big hitter". He is fine and appropriately introduces himself with a handshake. The other guy lumbers from the cart and promptly introduces himself with the etiology of his last name. and shakes hands, laughing nervously and inappropriately the whole time. He then proceeds to talk to himself under his breath, scolding himself for already being such a douche bag. I got the feeling right away that I was glad I wasn't stuck riding with him. Our long hitter had to pay his dues riding with "the tool".

We start play and Big hitter proceeds to almost drive the green at 330 yards away uphill. The tool oohs and ahhs and duffs his first shot. He proceeds to tell Big hitter what he did wrong with his swing. Big hitter is gracious and brushes off the comment. I step up and The tool talks throughout my tee shot. I'm already annoyed. So it went for 16 holes. On the 16th hole I have had my fill. If it wasn't Sunday morning, I would have had 6 beers in me just to block out the annoyance that was playing with us.

On the 16th, Big hitter hit a major drive behind a small tree. Being a captain and crew tournament, you are allowed to move your ball one club, no closer to the hole. I say to The tool "move from behind that branch, it looks like you may hit it". The tool says "it's not in play" and then swings and hits the branch with his ball. I say" I guess it was in play!" I couldn't help myself. The tool almost cried. He then lumbered back to the cart with his coke bottle glasses, talking under his breath about some way he can kill me I'm sure. My other two partners quietly nodded their approval and promptly began giving The tool more shit. Big hitter asked if he could ride back to the clubhouse in our cart. It was that bad...

We ended up at 7 under, should've, could've, would've been 10 under at least if we had any peace that day. Maybe 12 under if we had beers on a Sunday morning!