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Post by supportstudents on Apr 17, 2006 17:05:50 GMT -5
Wild and Go pybl you said it all. I did not think my little comment on the location of signs would cause such a stir with Rinx.
Rinx, are you with US, because if not then get out of the way before you get steam rolled. If you are and I hope you are, WE were looking for insight on strategic locations for lawn signs. WE have hundreds coming this week and WE would like to spread them evenly thru OUR town. If anyone knows of residents on mainroads or roadsleading to schools and fields, please advise.
VOTE YES on 5/16 and support the children in OUR community and CPR for the Board.
JD
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Post by patriot2415 on Apr 17, 2006 17:13:57 GMT -5
Why must you pick on RINX? Forgive him, for he knows not what he says !!!!!
The VOTE YES train is in town and will be visiting your neighborhood !!!!
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Post by devilsrus on Apr 17, 2006 19:47:08 GMT -5
Hello Rinx, I hate to get involved in divisive rhetoric but who exactly is "pissed off"? C'Mon Rinx get on the train. It hasn't left the station. All you have to do is bring down two yes votes on May 16. You dont have to change the world or even anybodys' mind. Just bring down two YES VOTES. " If you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem". We have one kid from Plainedge that might already be in Iraq. These kids are the face of the future. The face of the next generation of Americans. Lets get out there to give them the tools they need for the world that will be theirs. There are things that need to be fixed; no question. But lets get the budget done so that we can begin to address those issues and keep the District moving in the right direction. People will be "pissed"? Nobodys' happy about the price of gas either. Maybe one of these kids will be the begining of the end of oil dependence. Look to the future Rinx. This past year the pain of austerity was somewhat, and I repeat, somewhat masked. These cuts are real. They will hurt and they will hurt everybody. These aren't scare tactics. It is what it is. As per "Facts" we need the vote out and the vote to be yes. Ther is no one group who benefits IF IT PASSES. There is a community who will LOSE IF IT DOESN'T. VOTE YES VOTE FOR THE KIDS! See you Thursday.
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Post by justfacts on Apr 18, 2006 17:31:15 GMT -5
devilsrus In your post of the 14th you added this comment: "On a side note "Facts": I'm through wilth the Devils Advocate Post and will apply myself diligently to the positive direction that will get the budget approved. I didnt realize you liked the game. D"What is the "game" you refer to that I liked? I'm at a loss to understand your comment - There was only one posting I did on that Thread and it had to do with budgets of the past, and the prediction for future budgets, not with today's budget. What was not positive, or disturbing, about recognizing failures of the past and expressing hope for the future? I'm really puzzled by your comment - but there is no sense of urgency in awaiting a reply - nor is there anything but curiosity in my question to you. I don't understand why you addressed me on that comment about your moving on. Ed. Let's not load the BOE with more PTA members! Vote for the cool C_P_R team that has started changes in motion!
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Post by rinx on Apr 18, 2006 18:11:36 GMT -5
look, i may have used poor words. just putting up signs that say don't hurt the kids isn't going to help us sway no voters or get more people out to vote. Don't hurt the kids doesn't portay a fair budget that should be voted on on it's own merrit. How about we need yor support, please vote with us FOR the school budget? Or something to that effect?
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Post by justfacts on Apr 18, 2006 18:27:08 GMT -5
rinx For what it is worth - what you suggest is a much better sign and approach than the other one. It suggests more thought and consideration to the issue than the present one. The weakness of the present "Don't hurt the Kids!" is that is in itself is reactionary to a threat against the children - which is obviously made quite routinely by the Administration. It is therefore a "giving in" or "cowering" recommendation - not one based upon the merits of the Budget itself. It is quite understandable why some voters with children would make that choice with the "gun held to their child's head" - but it hardly as likable by the majority of others without children who would resent anyone or anything that held a gun to a child's head - and would very definitely tend to vote against the Administration for that reason! I am in favor or the more positive statements such as you suggest. Ed Vote your Convictions - not your Fears and Frustrations.
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Post by gopybl on Apr 18, 2006 21:10:01 GMT -5
Rinx - Thanks for the constructive feedback. I think the objective of the signs are two fold:
1) To get the potential YES voters off their butts and vote 2) To point out if they forget to vote it will be hurting the children.
I believe philosophy of the group is not to waste time converting NO voters to YES....We need to get potential YES voters off their Tucus and get to the polls....
For those marketing majors out their...Signage is used to convey a short memorable message very quickly to people. The fact that many people are talking about them, means that they are being effective....Are they offensive to the NO Voters...Perhaps but too bad. I find their lack of support for our children offensive.
I know the VOTE YES team has suggested that if anyone has ideas on how to get the message out they do not need permission or reassurance...They should take their idea and run with it. Let me know if you guys need the phone number for the sign guy.
Whichever way the message is conveyed...lets convey it...This budget MUST PASS first time out of the box. Hope to see you all Thursday.
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Post by devilsrus on Apr 18, 2006 21:12:10 GMT -5
Good evening Facts, I am sorry for any misunderstandings. My comment on the "game" had to do with the CPRing of posts and your much appreciated definition of cacaphony. Your posts have been encouraging, informative and persuasive. The moving on comment was more reflective of my outlook than anything you had posted. You have been a positive, forward looking and informative post. My commentary had more to do with some of the quibiling by other posts than the insights that you have provided. Sorry I'm still a neophyte blogger. Rinx, you have much to offer. As "Facts" suggests above there are many ways to approach this campaign. We are all traveling the same road, in the same direction. We all want what is best for the community and we are all willing to do what it takes to get to where we want to be. CPR is the way to go. A united community and a receptive BOE are the goal of everyone here. Consolidated Plainedge Residents Communicate Positive Reactions. CPR! VOTE YES! VOTE FOR THE FUTURE! CONVICTIONS PERSUADE RECALCITRANT voters! Sorry Facts ... cant stop CPRing.
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Post by supportstudents on Apr 18, 2006 22:10:34 GMT -5
Rinx and Facts,
Your desires in signs are coming. WE have 250 lawn signs that will be in at the end of the week that express wording more to your liking. I hope to see you both Thur. night at the meeting and if you would like to be distibutors of 10 or 12 signs by all means approach me.
The purpose of the signs are to alert the people to the urgency of the situation and get out and vote YES. I am of the belief that maybe 100 of 2100 NOs can be changed. That is not the focus and the focus is in adding YESs. I no for a fact that there are plenty out there that did not vote last year and will be this year.
As far as I know, going back the 11 years I have lived in the community there has never been an organized effort put together like this to instill change and positiveness in OUR community. There are many people involved in this YES campaign and that have a great deal to lose if this vote fails. As a matter of fact, everyone in this community loses if it fails, that is why I can not understand under these circumstances how anyone can vote no. IT JUST DOES NOT MAKE SENSE. Enough negativeness, lets ALL be positive and make 5/16 a memorable night for the residents of PLAINEDGE. Whether you have a newborn in a cradle, a child in the elementary schools, an adolescent in middle school , a senior ready to go off tp college, or you are living off your pension enjoying the golden years, lets be UNITED and get this job done.
VOTE YES on 5/16 and support CPR for the Board.
I for one appreciate everyones hard work and dedication to this effort.
Thank you,
John Danielo
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Post by thewildrover on Apr 18, 2006 22:21:31 GMT -5
Perhaps the desired effect of this first round of signs was to convey the message to the anti BOE no voters that a "NO" vote in protest of the board and /or the administration just hurts the kids.
Thats how I take them.
And PYBL, good marketing analogy and I believe this was posted before, there is a plan!!!...Have faith that it is not one set in stone but one that is pretty well thought out with the input of many a varied source, all with their own expertise and experiences. One that welcomes all creative and positive critiques. I do believe there should be a more positive message included in the advertising in the next few weeks.
As for the referral of "responding to a threat". What was it that they did to us last year??? All those now famous "threatened" cuts in the outer ring turned out to be a reality now weren't they? It WAS NOT a threat, it was a REALITY!!! In your own terms Fact's, WE have to put up with this stuff for one more budget until CPR comes in and breathes new life into the BOE.
Fact's, please remember when you use terminology such as "cowering" and "giving in" that the aforementioned folks who came up with these plans of action where for the very most part the same folks that refused to "cower" to the BOE at every one of the budget meetings and refused to "give in" to the administration last spring and summer and through sheer force of will and determination, relentlessly and heroically raised over one half million dollars as a TEAM.
I do know this to be a FACT :
The terms "cower" and "giving in" are not in their vocabulary.
Not even a little bit.
As for your closing note "Vote your Convictions - not your Fears and Frustrations".
There is something very real for the parents with school aged children in this district to be fearful of: A SECOND YEAR ON AUSTERITY AND THE HEADLINE: "PLAINEDGE : THE DEATH OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT"
Scared yet? WE all should be!!!!!!!!
Facts, for US, for all of US that want to believe you are with US, (there are some that still need convincing) please join US in our crusade to get this budget passed. Come down to the H.S. Thursday. Tell us you'll put one of OUR "Support the children, VOTE YES" lawn signs in front of your house, just like the rest of US.
State "VOTE YES" at the end of your posts with your conviction. WE, US and OUR........For OUR children
Plainedge is OUR town.........Say "VOTE YES" for OUR children and the future of Plainedge!!!
Then WE will ALL believe you are with US.
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Post by devilsrus on Apr 19, 2006 7:54:20 GMT -5
In general: 1. The signs were designed to grab the communities attention, particularly that of those who are registered but failed to vote. 2. The signs were meant to stimulate debate and discussion regarding the outcome of the budget. Apparently they are beginning to do so. 3. These are not idle threats by the BOE meant to scare a community into conformity, rather they are the harsh reality. 4. While not meant to be a scare tactic, but an economic statement of our times, they scare me. I have children in the High School. I do not want my kids or any of OUR kids to be deprived of any school services or oppotunities. 5. This budget is the best solution at this time. It has to pass. 6. we will Continue to Produce Results. 7.CPR
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Post by justfacts on Apr 19, 2006 8:30:24 GMT -5
wildroverI tried to present information about how a message might be perceived by others that were not riding the same wave of enthusiasm as you might be. I did not want to imply that anyone one on the Vote YES bandwagon might actually be cowardly. But I do recognize that another type of message might generate thoughts of a different nature in those undecided voters who you would like to have vote Yes. That's why I agreed with rinx and their suggestion that you might want to consider alternatives. The method of appeal that works with a Yes voter is certainly different than the methods needed to appeal to a No voter - or to an undecided voter.[/i] As to me being "with anyone" or riding the same train as others, I have always been and will continue to be more of an individual making my own decisions in life. Hopefully, many can see my decisions have been based on correcting what has grown to be a very poorly performing school district financial management situation in Plainedge. The children of this district are getting shortchanged of the results that could be for the amount of money their parents and others that are supportive neighbors, pour into the district. The typical response by the Administration (for several years) to people who have tried to correct the situation is filled with hostility, negativism and stonewalling. (Have you ever gotten a simple response direct from them as to what the Fund Balance, all of it, is - even as yet?) And this administration is using, even at this minute, every method it can to retain power and control over this District. Many of these methods are less than ethical. As I try to have changes brought about to correct the defective Administration in the District, and as you work so well as a team with others to have this year's Budget passed, to avoid the disaster created by this administration last year, our paths may run together. During that time we may aid and abet each other in achieving each one's goals. but that does not necessarily say I am with you - nor does it say that I am against you. It just says in certain efforts we pursue a common goal.I will continue to work towards correcting the basic cause of this financial distress in Plainedge and will continue to work towards getting better educational results for the children.
And I am continuing past efforts to support children in this, the Plainedge School District, and in other School Districts on Long Island with the Career Day work - and with the donation of a Library to a school in Farmingdale.[/b] I will do that without using the common easy way out by throwing more money into the pot and expecting that it will give the children a better education. We have seen that that method only leads to misuse of the funds by an ineffective administration. I am an individual who will work together towards a common goal with others and aid them where I can. But I am not going to jump on anyone's else's bandwagon to prove to them I'm "as good a guy" as they are - just to be popular with them, or make them believe that I am "with them".Take me as I am, or leave me. I will not tell anyone else to vote either Yes (or No) - I'll just tell them to vote - and maybe give a few reasons to point them in a direction that their own convictions will make them choose. Vote your Convictions - not your Frustrations! Let's not load the BOE with more PTA members! Vote for the cool C_P_R team that has started changes in motion! Ed.
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Post by thewildrover on Apr 19, 2006 9:17:03 GMT -5
Fair enough Ed,
I respect your opinion and your right to express it unwaveringly.
Lets hope our paths cross during this very important time in OUR towns history and together WE can continue to make a positive impact and affect positive change for OUR children of Plainedge.
Will our paths cross Thursday night?
WE hope so.
Thanks for adapting your closing message.
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Post by gopybl on Apr 19, 2006 9:51:54 GMT -5
Ed (Lonewolf) - Thanks for confirming our suspicions. We realize that our paths are crossing at this juntion in life....Which is not a horrible thing. We do however welcome the opportunity to work with you towards this common goal.
Obviously you must see the merits of getting this budget passed and beginning the healing process for the Plainedge School District...So I then ask you, why wouldn't you want to communicate that message to your fellow neighbors so they understand what is at risk here? Instead of just telling them to vote....
Most people in the community have very little info or insight to make an educated decision before they vote. Of course this is primarily due to everyones crazy schedules and lack of time to attend the previous budget meetings. So the majority of the population is looking to members like US to educate them. The ones who feel they do have SOME info are many times walking into the polling booth with MISINFORMATION. This is where we should be coming into play....
I know that you're a well respected member of this community and am sure that if you were to convey a positive message regarding the budget to many of the other community members...They would listen. That wouldn't mean that you are WITH US....It would mean we are working towards the common goal of getting this BUDGET PASSED. Thanks for your time.
Sincerely, Joey A
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Post by justfacts on Apr 19, 2006 11:15:57 GMT -5
thewildrover and gopybl - among others. You'll find that I'm a fairly sociable individual and I do enjoy the company of others and a chance to spin a tale or two with them. However, as to meeting at the meetings - there are few I attend and they are far between. I have found in the past that my physical presence has often led to emotional reactions by the likes of Mallow, Dick, even Staff members and others. They seem to want to get confrontational with me and miss the points of the meetings and discussions. The fair sex on the Board has also done this. I suffer not to argue with self-centered, self-aggrandizing, intellectually under-developed persons. Even in casual meetings outside of the school, some Board members have almost built themselves up into a livid rage when seeing me and talking AT me! Rabid, not rational, is their operational mode. So, for a while now I have refrained from meetings where they are present. It serves no constructive purpose. Besides, they need not my help or inputs, as they have characteristically rejected and refuted what I have to say. And they often lie about what I did say! As to reinforcing my positives by "being with" some of you, I have opened my home to one and all and I have supplied as much info as I can to others. I do welcome the chance for more informal meetings , less in the limelight, say over a cup of coffee at a local diner, or a pizza at Papalardo's. His mother, my wife, and I were good friends.[/i] Over the year's I have built up a continuous "Audit trail" from Budget to Budget, of how we have had cover ups and fiscal manipulations that work to the disadvantage of the children. Like it or not, this District has built up some fiscal obligations which many are not aware of, that siphon money away from the children. I have not found in any instance, that any one is lining there own pocket at the expense of the children, like in Roslyn. It is just there is a tendency to be secretive, manipulative and inept in the financial affairs of the District. There is also a tremendous tendency to send "good money after bad" in some very unwise decisions. And there is much, too much, ego driving a lot of the spending. All in all, we have become victims of poor financial management and directions. How else can one explain the Packard property lying fallow and costing us hundreds of thousands of dollars to support for the last two years? This is at least a six year old planning issue that has not been properly pursued by the Administration. That "keeping the building open" money "buys" a lot of children's programs! What you YOU spend the couple of hundred thousand dollars on each year?[/i] And the "unforeseen" extra costs of running the new middle school speaks tons about the poor planning behind building such a facility with all that "room for expansion" - and space with its required heating, lighting and cooling costs. If the space is there for so many more students, why do we have to have a future Bond issue for expanding the smallest of the other School buildings where they are squeezed in tightly? Utilization of existing facilities and load sharing seems to be quite a variable ad-hoc annual event. Long range planning seems non-existent. These are but a few of the clean up tasks that face us after this coming Budget is passed and we elect some people to the BOE that can help us effect these changes - instead of getting in the way and steadfastly supporting a defective Administration. A rejuvenated Board, an aware community, and a few activists like yourselves can really make this District much better than it now is. That will at least give the children of the District a fair start along the hard path of their future travels. They deserve better than what we have been giving them.Ed. It's almost over Folks except for the shouting! A reformed community Board is elected, a new budget is in place - all that's left is to get down to work on the real task, the only task at hand - making Education better for the Children of Plainedge!
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