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Pigeons, Health and the Smiths

By MICHAEL SCHENKLER

KILLER PIGEONS: There isn’t an owl dead or alive that can stop these pigeons.

A gang of particularly boisterous birds is on the prowl in Long Island City.

Employees at a local car dealership told Not4Publication that they employed several stuffed owls to stop pigeons from entering the dealership, where they were found nesting in drop ceilings.

The mere sight of owls usually sends pigeons scampering – but not these birds.

The pigeons assaulted the owls ("beat them up"), and knocked them down. Then they went right back into the dealership, where they plan to rule the roost.

They don’t give a hoot about the owls!

 

TO YOUR HEALTH: As the NYS Legislative session comes to a close, an item is being considered which will give easy access to the background history – including malpractice claims – of doctors. The Bill (A1401 and S6782 – A for Assembly; S for Senate) would provide vital info to help patients make informed medical decisions.

Negotiations are underway between the Albany leadership and the state medical society, which claims the bill is unfair. This powerful lobby has contributed more than $1 million to state Republicans and at least half that to Dems in the last five years. With a staff of Albany lobbyists costing more than $350,000, it has the ability to influence and defeat legislation.

If you want to see the Physician Profile Bill (A1401 and S6782) pass, call your State Senator and Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno at (518) 455-2800, as well as your Assemblymember and Speaker Sheldon Silver at (518) 455-4100. Finally, call Governor Pataki at (518) 474-8390.

 

SENATORS SMITH: The State’s newest Senator dropped by the office to introduce himself: bright and engaging, this protégé of Southeast Queens political guru Reverend Floyd Flake is going places. He’s knowledgeable and confident and seems to have his priorities straight. Hopefully, he’ll stay on course and not let the system corrupt or divert him.

We briefly discussed our column of two weeks ago where we disclosed that he and Senator Ada Smith (of Queens and Brooklyn) had sent out identical press releases on the state budget, containing identical quotes.

Malcolm had Janet Kennedy, director of minority services for the State Senate, called us and explained it was actually his release, which due to a clerical error on the part of minority (Democratic) staff, was sent out on behalf of both Senators Smith. The release, according to Kennedy, was actually Malcolm’s; a different one belonged to Ada.

So we had a reporter call Ada, who was unpleasant and rude on the telephone and questioned why we would ask about a release when it was a "clerical" error. Our reporter requested Ada’s correct release on the budget and was informed there was none.

We called back Kennedy, who had originally informed us that her staff was handling different releases for Malcolm and Ada, and asked for Ada’s correct release. Kennedy claimed that it was never approved and therefore there is none.

So what have we here?

Senator Ada Smith had a two page 700-plus word release sent out in error which was the property of Senator Malcolm Smith. He has made clear that the release was his; so has minority staff. There has been no retraction, correction or replacement release sent out by or on behalf of Ada.

Therefore, all the media who have not read my column still think Ada’s release was her own. She continues to take credit for Malcolm’s words.

Should she put in writing that due to a clerical error (on the part of others) she mistakenly issued a release and used quotes belonging to another?

In private industry, such transgressions – between companies – would be dealt with by litigation and financial settlements. If within a company, someone’s head would likely roll and apologies would be issued, policies would be changed and all announced immediately.

For our kids in school, suspensions, expulsions and punishments are meted out for using the words of another and not accepting responsibility and acting appropriately when discovered.

In the State Senate, they dismiss it as an error and Senator Ada Smith is annoyed when we ask.

Hey Ada, it could have been as simple as: "Yesterday, the State Senate minority staff sent out under my name a press release belonging to my colleague Malcolm Smith. Although I agree with the content and statements of Senator Malcolm Smith, the release and statements belong to him. My statement on the state budget follows..."

That’s how it would have been handled in the real world.

I guess school children and private industry have higher standards than government.

Ada’s been around awhile.

We sure hope the same values don’t rub off on Malcolm.

 

THAT CERTAIN SOMETHING: Reacting to Not4Publication’s exclusive revelation last week that John Taylor, the Wendy’s Executioner, was a 1990 Census Taker in Queens, a co-census taker of the confessed murderer contacted us.

We’ll call him Chaz, for the purpose of anonymity. He lives and works in Queens, where 10 years ago he met a "sort of odd fellow. . ." just another number counter working on the 1990 Census.

That odd fellow was John Taylor.

"What makes you remember somebody 10 years later?" Chaz asked out loud. "What was in his personality that made me remember him in particular?"

Chaz said he "can’t put his finger on it," but that there was just "something about him" that made Taylor stand out. "Something odd, quirky, villainous," Chaz said.

Just something about him.

Liz Goff contributed to this column

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Michael Schenkler can be reached at: MSchenkler@QueensTribune.com

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