On The Sly

We are ready to look December right in the eye and my calendar is already filling up with things to do in the final month of 2006. If I let you in on my agenda, maybe you'll add the events to your calendar and join me for some December fun.

The Old-Timer has already mentioned it in a comment, but I'll gladly repeat it. On Friday, December 1, the Flynns are having a bash at Meron's beginning at 5pm. The guest list has grown into a "Who's Who of Clinton County." Celebrities and dignitaries from all walks of life and of all ages will meet to welcome in December. Goose and I will be there, and I hope as many fellow bloggers as possible will join us for the event.

I wish regular blog contributors like Norm and Kathy and Kern and Stan and Bill and Miney and Fred and Lynda and Randy, all from various parts of the country, could be there as well. I'll have my notepad with me to record important happenings that they will miss.

Then next week the high school sports winter season kicks off. Basketball, volleyball, hockey, wrestling. Health permitting, I'll be at some high school sports event three or four nights each week, recording sports for history and for public access TV. I enjoy the winter sports season, because unlike football, soccer, baseball and softball, the weather is always good. All we do is set up our equipment at the top of the bleachers and have fun watching great athletes go at it.

If you see me at an event, come over and visit and maybe I'll even get you to help with the color commentary. For basketball, especially, we like to have a third quarter guest. I hope you'll consider supporting the great high school athletes we have in Section 7 and Section X.

On December 9th it's the first birthday of the "On the Sly" blog. A year already? I wonder if I'll be hired back for another season, or if I'll go by the wayside like some of those "one-hit wonders," like Right Said Fred, the 1910 Fruitgum Company and Los del Rio.

Then there's the Christmas shopping. I used to be almost finished by this time, but that was the days when Erik was just a kid and even opening a pack of gum made him yell with joy. Now, he's grown up, moved away and he's a lot tougher to shop for. Thank goodness for the 7th Season of Seinfeld DVD.

And with no spouse, there's a lot less shopping, that is for sure. Even my ex-wives will admit I enjoyed spoiling them with gifts at Christmastime. It's much easier on my wallet, but a Christmas tree looks funny with no gifts under it. Any nice girl want to get spoiled this Christmas?

Don't forget to get your holiday turkey early. It's nearly a week after Thanksgiving and finally my overdose of tryptophan is wearing off. But I'll do it all over again on December 25 and probably on January 1 as well.

Maybe during the month of December I'll have time to ring the bell for the Salvation Army or take a walk in the snow or have some friends over for some warm egg nog in front of the fireplace. No doubt it will be a busy month and I hope our paths cross sometime during December so we can exchange holiday smiles.

Posted by Foxy Gagnon at 9:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (16)

I've gotta snap out of it! Thanksgiving is long over. But I just can't keep awake. Ever since the Thanksgiving dinner at my Mom's I've had this urge to just lie down and take a nap. Of course, that's what everyone wants to do after their Thanksgiving Day meal. But my napping propensity has carried over into days.

Maybe it's because of that tryptophan in turkey. Can consumption of foods really play a role in our attitudes, our emotions, our behaviors? I've heard rumors about olives and oysters and almonds. But turkey? Scientists tell us that turkey contains the chemical tryptophan, which causes drowsiness.

My problem is that I just can't stop eating the leftovers. Like all good Americans, I enjoyed three plates of turkey at our one o'clock family meal. And, like all good Americans, I enjoyed a hot turkey sandwich with leftovers around eight o'clock that evening.

By then the turkey had been pretty well carved up, so I decided to work off my two great meals by making turkey and rice soup. So, Thanksgiving evening, I went to work with Mom's soup recipe. Within a mere three hours, before bedtime, the turkey and rice soup was ready!

Through the weekend I couldn't stop eating my turkey and rice soup -- and then taking a nap. If I do say so myself, it is the best turkey and rice soup I have ever eaten. Now I know that may seem like a slap in the face to my grandmothers, my Mom, my former wives and the chef at my local favorite restaurant, but this batch of turkey and rice soup was the best ever! If you don't believe me, ask Goose, who lapped up two big bowls of it on Saturday night.

And even Babe Ruth had to give way to Hank Aaron. Even the great Arnie Palmer had to give way to Tiger Woods. Now Foxy's turkey and rice soup has risen to the top.

But those constant doses of trytophan have put me in a funk. I'm behind in my paperwork for eBay, my paperwork for my videotape business, and I'm behind in paying my bills. The only thing I'm motivated to do is find a way to get more tryptophan.

But, alas, the soup is gone and the last drumstick has been eaten. The tryptophan blues will, hopefully, soon be a thing of the past. I'll be back to my old self in a day or two. I will be happy about that. And I'll be happy with the thought that my Christmas turkey is just 29 days away!

Posted by Foxy Gagnon at 7:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

It was around 1956, I was about eight years old, and my Mom was on a diet. I think she'd just given birth to my sister Darlene (uh-oh, there goes her age out the door!) and she was determined to get her Barbara Stanwyck figure back.

I remember I saw her eating what looked like a cracker and it had cream cheese on it. Apparantly it was some kind of diet food. For days I asked her if I could have one. And for days she refused. I think she knew I really didn't need to lose weight, since at that time I was all short skinny legs and skinny arms.

But I was persistent. She ate this treat everyday, so it must be good. I did notice that my Dad never ate it. He loved bowls of ice creams, bowls of pretzels and bowls of popcorn.
But I was curious about this funny-looking cracker.

Finally my Mom gave in and I tried it. She tried to satisfy me with half a cracker. I loved the taste. Mom told me the cracker was called Ry Krisp. For the duration of my Mom's diet I would occasionally have a Ry Krisp and cream cheese.

Within months Mom had her Barbara Stanwyck figure back, Dad was all smiles, and the Ry Krisp box was relegated to the back of the top cupboard. I forgot about it and settled into Dad's treats of ice cream, pretzels and popcorn.

And that is the end of the story -- until two weeks ago. Being retired, I don't have to hurry through the grocery aisles like most people. I can peruse the shelves and see what I've been missing all these years. And that's when I saw it -- the box of Ry Krisp. I smiled and reached out for the box, to be sure this was my 1956 delight.

The box was filled with healthy phrases, such as "Fat Free," "Good Source of Fiber," "Good Source of Whole Grain," and "Cholesterol Free Food." Words that usually scare me! But feeling my new-found freedom in retirement, I decided to buy a box. Along with a brick of Original Philadelphia Cream Cheese.

Ry Krisp is made in Princeton, Kentucky, probably by a factory full of skinny people. This has become my new favorite snack. It's complete with good memories of days of old and good taste, especially when smothered with a double portion of cream cheese.

If you see me and I look extra healthy these days, now you know why. I'm on my second box. No more popcorn and soda at nine o'clock each night. It's Ry Krisp and cream cheese and maybe an apple or a banana. I might end up so fat free that you can't find me.

That's okay. If I do get too skinny, I know where I can beef back up. I know a place that makes great bloody marys and hot pepper steaks!

Posted by Foxy Gagnon at 8:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

It probably happens all around Plattsburgh, and it seems as though there is nothing we can do about it. In my neighborhood it happens on Tuesdays. That's the day I drag my trash out to the end of the driveway and wait for city pick-up.

I have two big black heavy-duty barrels, one with wheels, that hold a few trash bags each. My problem is one has a lid and one doesn't. One windy day the barrel lid blew away and I'm sure somebody two blocks away found it in his backyard. Since I don't write my name on my trash barrels, the lid was never returned. It's pretty difficult to go into WalMart and tell them, "I'd like one barrel lid, please."

And other times I have extra bags of trash, maybe because I had a party or did some extra housecleaning. In that case those bags are neatly placed next to the two big black heavy-duty barrels.

But that's not the problem. The problem begins as soon as I leave the end of my driveway. As I approach my house I hear these big black birds -- what are these things? crows? ravens? scavengers? -- giving their secret messages to their friends on the neighboring streets.

Oh, I hear them! "Kaw, kaw, kaw!" That means, "Foxy just left us some treats, boys!" In less than a minute these black vultures are dancing on my trash barrels and picking at my trash bags. Within minutes paper towels and naked chicken wings and tuna fish can wrappers are being playfully tossed into the air.

One morning a few years ago, I kept running out yelling at these pesky predators. They would take a short flight to the safety of the MLD wires in front of my house and shout down at me, "Ka-ka-ka-kaw!" That means, "We'll be back down there in a second, bozo!"

That day, as I pulled out of my driveway and started driving to work, I saw in my rear view mirror that three of those monsters had just swarmed upon my trash bags. I slammed my brakes on, quietly shifted my car into reverse, and put the pedal to the metal. I envisioned running over these three vultures, ending their Tuesday treats forever.

However, at the last second, the birds flew up above and I crashed into my barrels and bags, sending them flying across the lawn. As I got out of my car to survey the damages, I heard those birds laughing at me.

Yesterday my neighbor called me to say that the birds were attacking my barrels again. He asked if I had any hot sauce. Of course, being a fan of hot wings, I keep an ample supply of Frank's Red Hot Cayenne Pepper Sauce. My neighbor said he took care of his bird problem with a crust of bread sprinkled with hot sauce.

I was ready. I marched out my front door, armed with a big bottle of hot sauce and loaf of bread. I put the crust on top of my uncovered garbage bag and doused it with hot sauce. My neighbor met me there to oversee the project. We both grinned, knowing this would do the trick. Those birds would stay away from my garbage forever.

And, you know, it might have worked. As I watched out my front window, the birds started their screeching. But before they could descend upon their hot treat, along came a grey squirrel. He scampered up the trash barrels and did a little dance step resembling the macarena. He spotted the crust of bread and tried packing the entire slice into his mouth. Ignoring the hot sauce, he folded the piece of bread in half, jammed it into his mouth, and took off across the street, ruining my plan to fireball the birds.

I just give up. With birds and squirrels outnumbering residents on Saratoga Court, it's plain to see that this is a lost cause. These critters know that there's a party at Foxy's house every Tuesday morning around seven. They've told their friends over on Belmont and Flagler and Trafalgar. Would it be self-defense if I shot one of those things?

Posted by Foxy Gagnon at 8:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Not too long ago I read an article about a fellow named Hoy Wong. He lives in New York City and he has been a bartender at the Algonquin Hotel for 58 years. Hoy Wong is 90 years old and can still make a martini with the best of them.

I just can't imagine that. As it is, it takes five minutes to make my favorite drink, a Bloody Mary. Wouldn't it take a 90-year-old about an hour and a half to mix up one of those for me? Apparantly not!

I know that the North Country has no one who would even come close to rivaling Wong as the world's oldest bartender, but the article did get me thinking of some of our area's long-running ones.

I remember over at Meron's, when I first hit the drinking age in the mid-1960's, one of the bartenders was the father of my fraternity brother, Mike Beaudoin. His name might have been Glen. And a lot of us recall Jack Jerry, who was the mainstay at Bernie's Lounge over on South Catherine Street.

Last Friday night I strolled through the Monopole and, lo and behold, the bartender was Noel Sowley. That was like a throwback to the Sixties. He still looks the same. Neatly trimmed beard and he hasn't lost a hair on his head, the lucky kid. I think a song by the Doors was blasting on the sound system. Surely he must be Plattsburgh's longest-running bartender.

I've been a bartender, but that was just for one day. While I was working at Gus's Red Hots during my college days, I was asked to tend bar for a house party given by Plattsburgh attorney Max Larios. Max was the brother of one of Gus's owners, Pete Larios. I agreed, even though I really didn't know a martini from a screwdriver. Pete assured me that someone else would be there tending bar as well.

And that's the first time I met Ray Lalonde, who would become one of my all-time best friends. At the time Ray was a teacher at Plattsburgh Junior High School and a coach at PHS. He helped me slosh my way around the bottles of vodka, whiskey and scotch. Ray had bartending experience from the Korina, and I knew I was in good hands. He took care of the novice bartender from Fox Hill. It was my one and only day as a bartender, but, hey, what with all this retirement time, maybe I should consider it as a part-time job. I sure would know how to make a Bloody Mary.

Anyway, the search is on for the North Country's oldest bartender. And for the North Country's longest-running bartender, although if anyone can beat Noel's stretch at the Monopole, I'd be surprised.

This has got me thinking. Isn't Sunday morning the perfect time for Bloody Mary?

Posted by Foxy Gagnon at 7:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (15)

Being 85 years old must be something. That means you were born in 1921 and you've seen a world of change. Today my Mom, Viola Gagnon, celebrates her 85th birthday. So much has happened in her life, she's done so many things, and met so many people, and watched so many episodes of Jeopardy that it's no wonder she gets a little forgetful sometimes.

At 58 I have my aches and pains and so do many of my friends my age. I just can't imagine living another 27 years. How in the world does her little five-foot body keep going, the legs keep going, the heart keep ticking and her mind keep thinking?

Well, in Mom's case, it starts with the Press-Republican crossword puzzle. She refuses to leave the house until that puzzle is solved. I sat with her the other day when she started it and she was reeling off answers as though she had seen this one before. If the Press-Republican ever has a "Solve the Crossword Puzzle" contest I'm sure Mom would be a finalist. Nothing wrong with that 85-year-old mind. Because she has done so many she can tell you the word for "Franc replacer" and "legend of Zorro heroine" and "pertness." And because she's a Yankees fan she knew "Rodriquez of the Yankees" was "Alex." That happened to be the only one I knew that day.

The next thing that has kept her going is her family. When Dad died in 1983 it was devastating. He was only 62. We all knew it was unfair, but, as Goose explained it, "God must have needed a head-honcho in heaven." Our family pulled together and managed to carry on. The love affair that started in Rouses Point back in the 1930s has never ended. I'm sure Mom thinks about Dad everyday.

The final ingredient in Mom's recipe for a long life is her friends. She is surrounded by friends like Anna, June, Theresa, and, of course, her best friend Camille. Camille is her cat -- her white cat, her fat white cat -- who gets even more spoiled than Goose, Darlene and I did when we lived on Johnson Avenue. Mom gets plenty of phone calls every day from friends and she belongs to clubs like the Rosary Society, the Red Hatters and the Telephone Pioneers.

Mom wraps up each weekday by watching Jeopardy. Like the morning crossword puzzle, Jeopardy is a must. She'll tape the show and watch it later if she is going to miss it. I think that show keeps her mind ticking as she tries to match those geniuses that Alex Trebek queries.

And just because she's 85 today, she knows there's no retirement in being a Mom. Many is the time I've called Mom to ask questions about making a soup, or broiling a steak, or operating a sewing machine. You just never stop being a Mom. In fact, next week she's coming over to my house to show a friend of mine how to use the sewing machine that's been serving as a junk collector for the past two years. You never stop needing a Mom. I've had her for 58 years, and I'm spoiled!

The Gagnon Family had a big bash on her 80th birthday, but tonight we'll celebrate quietly at one of Mom's favorite restaurants. And then tomorrow night we'll meet at her house and have some cake and ice cream -- just so that Camille can be part of the birthday celebration.

She's been a Girl Scout troop leader, a Press-Republican "Good Neighbor," an honors student at Our Lady of Victory Secretarial School. She's been a legal secretary to prominent men like Judge Robert Long, Judge Robert Feinberg and Judge Irving Goldman. She's been a supporter of her kids in high school sports and Acrotheatre. That Acrotheatre part was for our sister Darlene, not for Goose and I. We flunked out of that course!

Above all, she's been a great Mom. And that's what counts most of all. Happy Birthday, Mom!

Posted by Foxy Gagnon at 8:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Imagine that you clicked on my face on the Press-Republican homepage. Imagine that you clicked on the title "On the Sly" that provides the link to get to this page. Now imagine that just as my blog appears a hand reaches out through your monitor and slaps you in the jaw, just to get your attention.

That's basically what happened last night to one of Bobby Knight's Texas Tech basketball players. Yes, Bobby Knight has done it again -- and again and again! In a sideline rage Coach Knight screamed in his player's face and, apparantly because the player wasn't looking Knight directly in the eyes, the coach jabbed at the player's jaw in an effort to command attention.

I was a school teacher for 35 years. Let me even once slap a student in the face to get their attention, and I don't have to tell you the nightmare. I'd need a lawyer, be suspended from my job and my picture would be on the front page of the local newspaper.

In Bobby Knight's case, however, this sort of aggressive behavior has become almost routine, almost expected. If you play for Knight you just better be ready for his tirades. If you play for Knight you just better know that on any given night he feels he has the right to demand your attention. To show you who's the boss. To let you know that he's the coach. To embarrass you in front of thousands.

We've all seen him headbutt his own player, and we've all seen him choke one of his players at a practice session. And we've all seen him screaming at referees and even opposing coaches. And he has even punched a basketball official. Even his own son, who was on the Indiana team for two seasons, couldn't escape his father's wrath. Oh, didn't he once throw a chair across the entire gym floor?

I've seen enough of Bobby Knight. Time to suspend him for a few games while the Texas Tech administration talks to the school's attorney's about smacking Knight in the face with a lawsuit. There are plenty of good coaches around to coach this season at Texas Tech. I think Larry Converse, the dean of North Country basketball coaches, would look great in a 10-gallon hat. Or how about Kevin Dougherty? He already has college coaching experience and he has never popped any of his players in the jaw.

Don't give me any excuse about Bobby Knight knows how to win. I respect coaches like John Wooden, Dean Smith, Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Boeheim, Jim Valvano and the UVM guru Tom Brennan. They all know how to win and not once have they headbutted a player or smacked one on the jaw just to get their attention.

Bobby Knight is a big guy with big hair and a big ego and a big attitude. For some reason he feels he has to become physical when he's coaching. It's not good enough to explain the strategies of the game to his players and let them go out on the floor to perform. He feels he has to perform. He feels he is more important than the game, his players and the university. I say, "He's been wrong too long, let's get rid of Knight tonight!"

Posted by Foxy Gagnon at 4:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Last week while I was substitute-teaching an English class, I was reading part of a story set in the 1700s. At one point there is a reference to a youngster almost forgetting to bring his "ink bottle and quill" to school. I asked the class what that was all about, and we discussed how much easier it is for us to have a simple ballpoint pen instead of having to carry a bottle of ink and quill around.

Those little inkpens are probably something we just take for granted these days. If I were to gather up pens from all over my house it would probably total over a hundred. They perform the job better than their predecessors and the cost remains very inexpensive. You can probably buy a pretty good one for 89 cents and it will last years. Heck, some businesses and politicians hand them out free.

And any of us who have survived the days of early television realize the convenience of the remote control. I don't know when that little device came into existence, but it sure is a great toy that I'm sure many people younger than I take for granted. I can recall sitting in the living room and Dad saying, "Turn the channel." I'd jump up, go across the living room, turn the channel and return to my chair, only to get the command, "No, turn it back." Being able to just sit back in the lounge chair and scan all two hundred channels without moving anything more than your thumb is quite convenience.

This week I found another device that most of us probably take for granted -- the electric can opener. I say this because mine broke. A little metal piece fell off while I was opening a can of tuna fish. Talk about a mess. Now the electric can opener starts to open the can and after a few inches the can curves off and falls to the counter. You have to start it over about 15 times to get enough holes in the lid to pry the remainder open with a fork. Meanwhile my hands and arms get splashed with the liquid from inside the can. I searched my kitchen drawers for the old-fashioned manual can opener and none could be found. I think today I will buy myself a new electric can opener.

So on my way to the department store I'm sure I will listen to the car radio, which is something else we all take for granted. No charge! No hidden costs! Just free radio. Music, talk shows like Rush Limbaugh, Al Franken, Imus in the Morning, and sports events. And the best radio show of all, Corm and the Coach! No bill in the mail at the end of the month from WIRY or the Champ or ESPN Radio.

I guess there are several little things around us that we just take for granted. I don't mean big things like our parents, our spouses, our children, our quiet neighborhood and friendly neighbors. I mean those little things that are part of our everyday lives, like pens and remote controls and electric can openers and radio.

What is there in your life that you just take for granted?

Posted by Foxy Gagnon at 8:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Mr. Bob Burke died on Wednesday in Plattsburgh. He was 81 years old and he was a Fox Hiller. I grew up on Johnson Avenue and the Burkes lived on Elizabeth Street, the next street over. Mr. Burke came in and out of my life for about 50 years.

I first knew of Mr. Burke when I signed up to play Little League baseball at the age of 9. I was on the first-ever Nitzi's team, coached by my dad. That first year Mr. Burke also coached a team, New York and Albany Dispatch. He coached them to the first-ever Little League championship on our side of town. We finished second. New York and Albany Dispatch finished first, led by Eddie Garrant and his couple of home runs almost every game.

Later Mr. Burke became a city alderman. As a youth I had a strong interest in politics and I looked up to the city's aldermen, especially those from my ward, men such as John Flynn and Bob Burke.

In the 1980s I moved back onto Fox Hill and would often take walks around the neighborhood. Often I would see Bob and Betty Burke sitting on their front porch and I'd stop and talk and sometimes reminisce about Little League baseball. He was always friendly, and I had a lot of respect for him.

A few years ago his granddaughter Chelsea was one of my students. During my annual Grandparents Week Mr. Burke came to my class at Chelsea's invitation. Sitting up front with her grandfather, Chelsea looked proud that her grandfather had visited our class. By this time he was experiencing the aches and pains of being a senior citizen, but it didn't deter him from the long journey from the front of the school to my classroom.

Mr. Burke talked to the students about what it was like growing up in Plattsburgh in the 1930s, and about playing sports as a kid, and how he had met his wife Betty, who he married 61 years ago. He talked to students about serving as a Marine during World War II. And before he left, he gave the students some advice about how to become good adults, good citizens.

I always liked Mr. Burke. I hadn't seen him for a few years and when I saw his obituary in Thursday's Press-Republican I was sad. He has a great family, the Burkes and the Baxters. He will be missed, but, as I sometimes reminded my students, Ray Bradbury wrote, "No person ever died that had a family."

His wife, his children and his grandchildren all have wonderful memories of Mr. Burke. They will keep them forever. Chelsea and Jason and the four other grandchildren will tell their children about "Grandpa." He will not be forgotten.

Posted by Foxy Gagnon at 12:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The election is over and most of the political signs have been picked up or, in some cases, torn down. Now Mayor-elect Kasprzak can jump into the budget pool and, along with the councilors and current mayor Jack Stewart, find ways to get that tax increase down to something more managable. Don Kasprzak has never been one to just stick his big toe in and see how the water is. Knowing him, I'd say he already has a list of possibilities to bounce off those he will be working with. I have no doubt that he will jump in and get involved as quickly and as much as possible. And he's probably anxious for the January 1st swearing-in to make everything official.

Congratulations to WIRY's Ducky Drake who kept everyone entertained on election night while we waited for local results to trickle in. For over an hour he and Mayor Jack Stewart talked about local politics. There's no active politician in the North Country who has been through more campaigns than Jack Stewart. And one among many interesting points brought up in the discussion of Plattsburgh's mayors is the fact that only one former mayor in recent memory has been elected without previous service on the Common Council.

That may have been one of the factors in this year's mayoral race. Kasprzak had previously served as a city alderman, while Kevin Duniho, his opponent, had never held public office. According to Jack Stewart, only Rev. Roland St. Pierre has been elected without having been a city councilor prior to the election. Interesting! Now if we go back to the days of Jack Tyrell, I don't know if "Tarmac Jack" was ever an alderman before becoming mayor.

On the national scene we are now into the two-year campaign for United States President. There are several who already have secret and not-so-secret ambitions to replace the Bush Administration. The results of Tuesday night put an added challenge on the Republicans to find a candidate who can help the party rebound.

Certainly John McCain is an early front-runner. Experienced and opinionated he will be a familiar name to Americans. But watch for some new faces in the national spotlight. Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney already has followers who have set up "Elect Romney in 2008" websites. The son of former Michigan Governor and Presidential candidate George Romney, Mitt Romney has the looks and style to emerge as a favorite.

But watch out for a couple of New Yorkers to jump into the national spotlight: Rudy Giuliani and George Pataki. Ex-New York City Mayor Giuliani was thrown into the national and world spotlight on September 11, 2001 and the way he helped his city deal with the catastrophe still earns him accolades.

And George Pataki will need something to keep him busy after he moves out of the governor's mansion. He's been New York's leader since 1994 and is currently the longest-running governor in the nation. He must have done something right!

Personally, I would like to see political commentor and talk-show host Sean Hannity run for President. Before the election he had all the answers, but, as the voters spoke on November 7th, they proved Hannity to be incorrect in most of his assessments. So now he is cautioning America to not "misinterpret the election results." What exactly does that mean? On his radio talk-show on Wednesday he used the word "misinterpret" at least a hundred times. I think it means that anyone who sees the election results different from him is "misinterpreting the results." Why don't the Republicans pick Hannity, who seems to know everything, as their candidate?

And will the Democrats have some candidates? Oh, look out! The train has already started rolling. Remember John Edwards? He was John Kerry's running mate in the last election. His "One America" vision will be heard often in the next two years. And there's former governor and now senator from Indiana, Evan Bayh. And scary John Kerry will throw his hat into the ring. I've always liked former South Dakota senator, Tom Daschle. He was defeated in 2004, but I hope he is ready for a return in 2008. Oh, did I forget to mention Illinois Senator Barack Obama and New York Senator Hillary Clinton?

For those of us who follow mayors and Presidents, it sure looks like the next year or two will be interesting.

Frankly, I think the late Ronald B. Stafford would have made the ideal Presidential candidate. No politician ever had better skills and experience at working with both parties. He knew his way around the government inner workings and was respected by both parties. He was soft-spoken, yet knew how to use his power in government to get benefits for his constituents. It's too bad that America never got to know Ron Stafford, but he was happy to just be a North Country boy.

Posted by Foxy Gagnon at 6:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 7th, will be a busy day, so I figured I had better write my blog this evening. At 6:20am on Tuesday I'll be chatting with "Corm and the Coach" on the radio. That should be fun and, as always, it's an interesting way to start a day.

Then I'll be off to Stafford Middle School to be a substitute teacher in health class. That will be a first. The faculty at SMS knows that I'm skittish to talk about certain subjects, and my first day as a health education teacher might be a greater challenge than the "Corm and the Coach" gig. But I've already been reassured that tobacco and not some of those other subjects will be on the lesson plan.

After school I need to hurry to Sam's Club and buy a few ten-packs of T-160 videotapes and a case of V-8 juice, which, as a kid, I couldn't even stand to smell. In the past few years it's become my daily breakfast drink.

But, even then, my day won't be done. I'll then get my videotaping equipment together for a night of basketball at Clinton Community College. Coach Kevin Dougherty's Cougars take on Canton Tech for the final time ever. You see, next year Canton will become a four-year college. Did you know that? That was news to me, but college coaches know that kind of stuff.

So, yes, indeed, tomorrow, Tuesday, will be a busy day. Busy, but not too busy. No, not too busy TO VOTE! I hope you will remember to take the time to voice your opinions on Election Day. It's the most important thing I'll do tomorrow!

Posted by Foxy Gagnon at 10:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here are some more odds and ends during the first week of November:

1. Has anyone noticed that the National Basketball Association season has officially started? Does anyone care? It is apparantly a popular sport, what with heckling fans calling players animal names. As much as I loved watching the NBA when I was a kid, with guys like Bob Cousy, Bob Pettit, Bill Russell, Wilt "the Stilt" Chamberlain, Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Dolph Schayes and, later, Michael Jordan and Reggie Miller, I don't think I can name you five NBA players today!

2. I don't mind the political signs all over the city -- that's part of campaigning and politics. And I don't mind the endless TV ads -- although I've seen far too many Bernie vs. Richie ads -- that's part of campaigning too. But I do mind when I get home from a hard day of videotaping or grocery shopping and find that my telephone answering machine is full of recorded messages from politicians wanting my vote. I can't hit the delete button quickly enough!

3. My blog about my Top Ten TV Characters received several comments, but the Carver might have missed the boat on of his claims. The Carver likes the character Otis Campbell of The Andy Griffith Show and claimed that the Mayberry town drunk was from Massena, New York. My friend Sal Righi disagrees and e-mailed a webpage declaring that Harold "Hal" Smith, the actor who portrayed Otis Campbell, was born in Michigan and died in Los Angeles in 1994.

4. One sad note from the baseball world -- and it didn't even make any headlines -- was that the San Diego Padres did not exercise their option on catcher Mike Piazza, my favorite player over the past 15 years. This, sadly, might be the end of his career, even though he hit .283 with 22 home runs this season for the Padres. I hope some American League team will sign him as a designated hitter. Already a sure Hall of Famer, Piazza has hit 419 career dingers and has a lifetime batting average of .309. A 12-time All-Star, I'd like to see him around the game for a few more years. He's 37 years old and a life-long National Leaguer, but I bet he could pop a few out of Fenway Park and Camden Yards as he toured the American League.

5. Another news story that may have slipped your view is that Mark Sudol is leaving as the sports guy at Channel 5 WPTZ. Mark has been here a long time and is one of the best ever. His easy-going style is a perfect fit for us North Country sports fans. He was innovative, creating the often-hilarious "I Challenge Mark" series. His subtle wave at the end of each newscast is in a way symbolic of Mark -- quiet and friendly. I can recall some other Channel 5 news guys that I liked -- Rick Whitlow, Tim Singer, Chris Kelly -- but I think Sudol is tops! We will miss him!

6. And, finally, my ponytail. I know you've been wanting to hear more about my long locks at the back of my head. It's not as important as the Duniho-Kasprzak mayoral vote, but soon I'll be tossing my ponytail out for a vote. Finally my ponytail is sort of long enough to wear in public regularly. It does make the sides of my head look neater and fool people into thinking that I have short hair. But when they see the actual tail I still think they are stifling a laugh. Anyway, I have learned to make my own ponytail, thanks to a certain someone who has given me a few lessons. I can wrap that hair-tie around my hair rather than it ending up wrapped around my wrist. It's a true Fox tail! If you see me in public, just humor me and quietly decide if it should stay or go. A New Year's vote is in order!

Posted by Foxy Gagnon at 6:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

I sat in the audience last night at the Plattsburgh High School auditorium, listening to the questions and answers of the Mayoral Forum sponsored by the Plattsburgh Area League of
Women Voters. This group deserves much credit for the service it provides, especially in the weeks preceding November elections.

Last night's forum (it wasn't really called a "debate") was well-organized, but not well-attended. The LWV has co-presidents, Myra Decker and Betsy Metz, and they kept the one-hour forum moving in a fair manner. Earlier in the day the League of Women Voters had hosted similar events for the candidates for the 114th Assembly district, the 45th Senate district and 23rd Congressional district. A busy day, indeed, for this group of concerned citizens.

Those forums will be televised on Mountain Lake PBS on Friday at noon and 8pm, on Saturday at 6pm and on Sunday at 1pm. The mayoral forum was not taped for television and that's a shame. There are many voters who might end up voting for "my party," or "that's what my neighbor said," instead of finding out for themselves which mayoral candidate may help Plattsburgh the most.

The audience of about 70, including media and relatives of the candidates, seemed to enjoy last night's forum and, judging from the early polite applause, the audience seemed to be divided between supporters of Democrat Kevin Duniho and Republican Don Kasprzak.

It was an interesting audience, comprising a nice cross-section of Plattsburgh's citizenry. One of the first to arrive was John Welch, armed with his New York Daily News. He was followed by concerned citizens such as Ed Champagne, Steve Lorry, Karen Hulburt, Don Garrant, Dave Merkel, Meredith O'Connor, Harold Brohinsky, Jen Colver, Bill Provost, Bill Patten and Jim & Cheryl Godfrey.

Happily, I wasn't the only man in the audience with a ponytail. Ed Champagne's is a lot longer than mine, both length-wise and time-wise. And the arrival of Bill Patten made it a trio of male tails in this politically-concerned group.

Joe Lotemplio, reporter, and Rob Fountain, photographer, represented the Press-Republican newspaper. Joe brought his notepad and pen and Rob had an expensive camera with a wide-angle lens attached. In fact, if you look carefully in today's printed version of the newspaper, you will see "the Fox" sitting in front of Joe Lo and next to Jen Colver, in the third row.

Both candidates made their views clear during the forum, and my personal choice for mayor hadn't been changed by the end of the sixty minutes. But it was informative and it's too bad more people didn't attend.

It's not too late to get informed about the important vote for mayor. I encourage you to visit the following websites for information:

Plattsburgh Area League of Women Voters: www.plattsburgh.ny.lwvnet.org
Don Kasprzak: www.electkasprzak.com
Kevin Duniho: www.dunihoformayor.com

Posted by Foxy Gagnon at 7:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)