Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Kassar's "Common Sense: 'Tis the season" column about Christmas 2013 shows some of what State Senator Martin Golden is up against when he has to run in 2014

"The lights and sounds of what has made Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights such special communities each Christmas season are once again upon us."  --  Kassar's words not mine


Here's the rub -- Kassar then goes on to describe just a few blocks in Dyker Heights


Jerry Kassar opened his Common Sense column this week with a shout out to the local spontaneous volunteer holiday home decorators that annually make a cottage industry of decorating their cottages in Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights for Christmas.  But for some reason, Jerry Kasar (sic -- as his name appeared in this week's Home Reporter online editon) did his attempted Saturnalian uplift very much on the downlow ( See ""Common Sense: 'Tis the season"  by Jerry Kas[s]ar,  12/2/13, Home Reporter/ Spectator [http://www.homereporternews.com/opinion/common-sense-tis-the-season/article_bd330dc6-5b91-11e3-b21e-001a4bcf887a.html]).  The only real praise from Kassar was showered on a few blocks in Dyker Heights not far from Jerry's own home.

I think I get it.  For various ulterior motivations, Mr. Kassar wants us to focus on how good things still are and not upon how very much things have mostly gone down hill.  If we were to look at the real tinsel and glitter around Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights, and include the lower blocks of Bensonhurst and Bath Beach, the bitter-sweet nostalgia for a happier and brighter "Christmas Past" will be immediate.  For every block that has the old time sparkle of " ... 'Tis the season..." there are many tens of blocks that have lost their luster completely.  This is especially notable on each and every business avenue and strip in the areas mentioned above.

Interestingly, Kassar quickly tacked away from his opening theme about bright lights and decorations, and quickly switched to a message of supporting your local businessmen. That's an interesting turnabout, because it would seem that the biggest drop in holiday lumens and wattage throughout the neighborhood is  mostly attributable to cutbacks by many of the merchants being touted by Kassar.  It cannot be accidental that the only business mentioned by Jerry Kassar was  >>> CENTURY <<<  the biggest merchant and the biggest commercial strip landowner in the Bay Ridge-Dyker Heights area.  It is also the anchor store for the biggest B.I.D. in State Senator Martin Golden's district.

I want to say only two more things about  >>>CENTURY<<<:  1) their "holiday" decoration is minimalist and their holiday lighting virtually invisible compared to their own very bright red signs; and 2) they are significant contributors to Jerry Kassar's boss, State Senator Martin Golden ( something not mentioned in the infomercial part of Kassar's column).

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kassar is a joke - there is no amount of damage control that could force everyone forget all the sc*umbag moves him and Golden pulled the last year in Brooklyn - they are responsible for the demise of the Brooklyn GOP and hopefully, Golden will get destroyed in the 2014 election.

Galewyn Massey said...

Fine, don't forget the last year, but remember everything before that. Especially remember what's happened since Golden and Kassar teamed up. Everything in Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Bensonhurst was much better before that.

Anonymous said...

Gale, I think this bigger than Christmas lights. The big knot of merchants associations, BIDs, the South Brooklyn Alliance, Ragamuffins, Golden's Concerts in the Park and other stuff are all a piggybank for Golden and FOG - "Friends of Golden". And Golden completes the circle with funding and grant money from Albany.

Anonymous said...

Have you seen all of Golden's Facebook posts these days...they are really PATHETIC......today he posted "1 week until my christmas tree lighting"...he is so desperate for friends that he keeps making ridicuolous posts....

Anonymous said...

I heard there is a group of Republican activists in the Gravesend area of the 22nd Senate District getting ready to show a presence during Golden's tree lighting at Lady Moody Square. Could be the opening salvo of the Rep Primary in SD22...

Anonymous said...

Marty is very disrespectful - I see him around my neighborhood all the time and he uses his Senator's parking plaque to park at fire hydrants, block crosswalks, and block people's driveways - who does he think he is? Someone like him should not have such a parking permit to simply abuse the privilege and use it whenever he pleases.

Anonymous said...

You should begin taking multiple photos of his car whenever you find this happening. Get the license plate and proof of the illegal parking in the same shot, if possible.

Anonymous said...

Kassar will be the next Conservative party State Chair.
After next years Gov election Paladino could make Con party 2nd biggest party.
That means Kassar becomes one of the biggest political bosses in the state.

Anonymous said...

Christmas Tree lighting is one of those scientific and technical things that Golden has mastered. He has also incubated several around his district under his entrepreneurship. That is the main reason he was able to become chairman of the select committee devoted to little more than that sort of thing. It was originally supposed to be called the State Senate Select Committee on Christmas Tree Lighting, but the staff thought it needed a more important sounding name.

Anonymous said...

That's strange that Golden's staff member, quaglione is posting about the parking permit today.

https://twitter.com/JQuaglione/status/408673549151641600

Love when elected officials park in violation of alternate side preventing street cleaning and they don't get a ticket just regular folks do

Galewyn Massey said...

BACKFILL: THE “GOOD COMEDY IS ALL ABOUT TIMING” EDITION

The John Quags’ tweet, mentioned above, pretty much appears as follows:

“John Quaglione @J Quaglione
Love when elected officials park in violation of alternate side preventing street cleaning and they don't get a ticket just regular folks do
11:05 - 5 Dec 13 ” [https://twitter.com/JQuaglione/status/408673549151641600]

Based on its timing, it is probably a fair conclusion that JQ’s tweet is directly or indirectly a response to the comments above by “Anonymous December 4, 2013 at 3:43 PM” and/or “Anonymous December 4, 2013 at 8:26 PM”.... I have to ask, “What is ‘Gentleman John’ up-to making the tweet in the context of those comments ?”

Also kudos to “Anonymous December 5, 2013 at 7:01 PM” for posting the comment about JQ’s tweet.

Galewyn Massey said...

There is intense opposition inside the NYSCP to Kassar's ever being the State Party Chair.

Over the years he has been seen as a toady to the GOP leadership in the Assembly and State Senate, as well to certain insiders in the Pataki administration --- very often not in the interests of the Con-Cons and certainly not in favor of conservative principles. Kassar has also strongly backed many less-than-conservative Republicans for NYSCP endorsements over the years in the face of strong opposition by other Conservative Party leaders.

Anonymous said...

I believe the word is ink-a-bated, not incubated.

Anonymous said...

There are no Republican activists in the Gravesend part of Brooklyn so you must be mistaken.

Anonymous said...

The Con party will come out on top after next year.

Paladino will send the NYS GOP the way of the Whig party.

It's over guys

Anonymous said...

No Republican Activists in the heart of Senator Golden's district? That can't be good...

Let's see what happens at the tree lighting.

I hear parking is tough there....