S.A.T. Words

Dockmackie. n. A shrub of eastern N. America, having clusters of white flowers. Also the word that tripped up East Amherst seventh-grader Nabeel Rahman at the National Spelling Bee on June 2. Rahman finished the competition tied for ninth place, the best finish for a local speller since 1992.

Public Relations

When it comes to shirtless photo scandals, appropriately named congressman Anthony Weiner of Queens could sorely use a lesson in damage control from ex-pol and tranny-hawk Chris Lee. Seriously, gotta give credit where credit is due. That guy straight up wrote the book on merciful stepdowns.

******* White Developers

A $1.45 million civil suit filed on June 6 by a Cleveland developer accused Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown of corruption and racketeering (and some salty language) for an alleged pay-to-play plan to build houses in the Masten District. Our mayor accused of political payola in a RICO suit: that’s Buffalo “For Real”.

Fwd: Re Re Re

An Erie County contractor accidentally sent some 1,300 privileged emails to the Department of Justice as part of pre-trial discovery in a Federal lawsuit against civil rights violations at the County Holding Center. The DOJ has since agreed to a deal to “return” (wait, what?) the emails.

Unhealthy Glows

Democrat Kathy Hochul, who vanquished conservative foe Jane Corwin in last week’s special election for the 26th District, was officially sworn into Congress on June 1. Now call me a right-wing nut if you’d like, but are we certain she swore in on a Bible and not a Quran. Can we get the Tea Party on this?

Canada geese permitted to be killed by the Town of Clarence by the US Fish and Wild Service to help cull an overly nuisance population at a private pond. Permit laws allow for no more than five geese to be taken in a single day and 85 during the course of the year. This is the second year Clarence has used kills to attempt to control goose populations.