Comptroller’s Report: September 18, 2009

Calling Attention to Civic Education Is a Good Thing

I was reading recently how Academy Award-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss is now devoting himself to promoting the education of “civics” in our schools in order to give our children real-world knowledge and, hopefully, wisdom about how to run our government. I never realized that Mr. Dreyfuss and I had so much in common and I enthusiastically join his call to bring back civic education.

From the Desk of Charlie Prucha, Superintendent, South Farmingdale Water District: September 11, 2009

We hope everyone has been enjoying the warm weather and later part of the summer now that the rain has gone away. The rain this season was good for our gardens, lawns and flowers, but as drier weather continues, many of us will continue watering and using irrigation systems to keep our properties green.

Letter: Calories in Restaurant Food

I’m like many people in our county who pours over nutrition labels on all the food I buy. I want to know exactly what it is I’m eating, and more importantly, how many calories I’m consuming. As the American Heart Association will tell you, calories “in” should equal calories “out” if you want to maintain your current weight. Our diet should be equivalent to our physical activity. But if we don’t know what we’re eating, how are we to know how many laps to walk around the neighborhood?

What Every Long Islander Should Know: September 4, 2009

Bricks and Mortar Won’t Stop the Brain Drain

(John McNally had a most interesting reaction to the recent Nassau County “youth summit,” aimed at finding out what it would take to keep 18- to 35-year-olds from leaving Long Island. John, a 30-something himself, is the Rauch Foundation’s Program Officer for the Environment. I’ve asked him to write this month’s column.)

I just got back from vacationing in the Pacific Northwest with some old Long Island friends who had relocated there. The very folks that the summit was concerned about. As I read the recommendations—affordable housing and downtown redevelopment—something bothered me. I agree with them, wholeheartedly, yet I couldn’t help feeling that something was being overlooked.

Letter: Is Quality Health Care Too Costly?

The most common question I hear during any health care reform discussion is, “Can we afford it?”

The per capita cost of health care in the U.S. is the highest of any industrialized nation in the world. According to the World Health Organization, the U.S. ranks 37th in the world in the quality of health care.

Letter: Beer Wholesalers on the Expanded Bottle Bill

We are extremely disappointed with the lifting of the injunction on the expanded bottle bill provisions. Federal Judge Batts’ decision last week to immediately implement the terms of expansion as described in the governor’s budget will create nothing short of chaos in the marketplace.

Parenting Plus: August 28, 2009

Project Rebirth

In the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on America, several artists joined together to produce a soft cover book entitled 9/11: Artists Respond. The book of graphic art showcases the artists’ responses to the terror that befell the world. One nine-frame piece by Jeph Loeb and Scott Campbell entitled “Please Stand By…” features a girl of about eight years of age watching cartoons on television. By the third and fourth frames, the image on the screen changes to a live feed of the Twin Towers ablaze. As the little girl stands transfixed, stuffed animal in hand and her face less than 12 inches from the screen, the commentator announces, “We interrupt this program to take you live…” the little girl turns away and calls, “Mommy…” The next three frames show her mother dropping a basket of laundry. Then, with her face contorted in anguish, the mother embraces her daughter to shield her from the unrelenting images. The final frame is a close-up of the little girl asking, “Mommy, when are the cartoons gonna come back on?”

Letter: L.I. Sierra Club Applauds House Passage of Clean Energy and Security Act

Burdened as we on Long Island are by high energy costs and dirty air, we should applaud the recent passage by the House of Representatives of the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES). ACES sets forth clean energy and efficiency goals for America to achieve - goals that have already been reached and surpassed by other countries around the world. The release of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels (coal, petroleum products, and even “clean” natural gas) has started a process of rapid global climate change.

Liver Lines: August 21, 2009

One of the complications of cirrhosis can be the development of hepatic encephalopathy. This may manifest as full-blown disorientation or stupor but there are also subtle changes that can occur. Difficulty sleeping, problems with short-term memory and the inability to answer seemingly simple questions such as simple math or spelling may be signs of a problem.

From the Desk of Legislator Dave Mejias: August 14, 2009

Keeping Kids Safe on the Internet

This summer I sponsored and passed legislation in Nassau County that protects children on the Internet by banning all convicted sex offenders from social networking and Internet dating websites. Working closely with nationally renowned advocacy groups Parents For Megan’s Law & the Coalition Against Child Abuse and Neglect we were able to pass this important legislation to provide a safer environment for our children to surf the Internet. While researching this legislation it became apparent how dangerous a place the Internet can be for unsupervised children. Sexual predators are using the Internet and websites like MySpace and Facebook to prey on children. They are also using online dating services like Match.com to identify single mothers to exploit their children.