The introduction and prevalence of social media in politics (it was key in getting Obama elected in ’08) seems to have outpaced election laws and decorum. A politician certainly has the right to use it as [...]]]> Is it appropriate for elected officials to use government sites to promote themselves and, potentially, their long-term re-election prospects?

The introduction and prevalence of social media in politics (it was key in getting Obama elected in ’08) seems to have outpaced election laws and decorum. A politician certainly has the right to use it as a means of fundraising and/or campaigning, but in recent years the line between a politician’s social media presence and that of official government agencies has become blurred.

Various state agencies provide a link to Andrew Cuomo’s Facebook page, which blurs the line between dispensing info and outright campaigning.

The latest controversy involves the New York State Tax Department’s website, which had a link suggesting you “like” Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Facebook.  Some cried foul and in response the wording of the website was changed to “like” to “connect.” It got them out of a semantic argument, but doesn’t address the murkiness of promoting a politician’s personal social media presence on the official website of a state government agency.

From The Daily News:

While a Cuomo spokesman said the social-media pitches were not tied to any political campaign, some questioned the use of state agency websites to boost the governor’s online popularity.

…

“The agencies should not be tied to a particular individual but rather to the service of the people of New York,” argued Richard Dadey, executive director of the Citizens Union. “It’s not appropriate to tie a government webpage to an individual elected official’s Facebook page.”

…

After The News asked questions, the wording was changed to urge people to “connect to Governor Cuomo on Facebook” rather than to ask that visitors “like” Cuomo’s page on the popular site.

The line hasn’t just been blurred with social media, but also with the official website for the Governor. Just last week, the site loudly and gaudily touted changes to the existing tax laws effective January 1st. Cuomo lobbied hard for those changes, and the website’s header was unequivocally an announcement of his victory on the issue and a means of self-promotion.

One could make the argument that it’s nigh impossible to legally define the line between distribution of information and campaigning. It would have been preferable on an ethical level for Cuomo to simply post a modest link to a press release explaining the changes in a neutral fashion. But how do you go about making that distinction objectively?

As The Daily News reported, Cuomo’s people insist that the Facebook site is simply a portal to distribute information to New Yorkers. Yet one look at Cuomo’s official Facebook page tells a slightly different story. The first thing you see is a clear promotion of Cuomo rather than the Governor’s office. The wall feed over the past several weeks has been beating he drum for the changes to the State’s tax code (repeatedly touting it as the “lowest tax rate for middle class New Yorkers in 58 years”) as well as links promoting his media appearances on radio shows hosted by Fred Dicker and former Governor David Paterson. Outside the context of the recent controversy, some of those seem harmless and neutral. Yet there’s a clear underlining subtext promoting Cuomo, the man, and not the Executive Branch of State Government.

But again, where the Hell is that line?

I’m loathe to engage the slippery slope, but I’m not really overly concerned about Andrew Cuomo’s Facebook and this particular controversy. I am concerned, however, that it shows a further erosion of that line we talked about.

Here it is: the descent!

Thanks again to everyone who donated and everyone that will donate (CLICK HERE) to the Special Olympics of NY to provide differently abled athletes and their families with services, equipment, [...]]]> Thanks to Rob Madeo of Keyboard Krumbs for providing the camera and setup for this.

Here it is: the descent!

Thanks again to everyone who donated and everyone that will donate (CLICK HERE) to the Special Olympics of NY to provide differently abled athletes and their families with services, equipment, and events at no charge. Our team alone raised over $2100, which will make a ton of difference.

Again, on behalf of myself and especially the Special Olympics of New York, THANK YOU!

And here’s me on the wall looking evil:

I'm laughing at Meghan Mae, who is cursing me as this was being taken.

I’m at the Crowne Plaza for Over the Edge, and our first rappellers are about to go down! Here’s the view from the top:

I’m excited and nervous, but that’s neither here nor there.

The important thing is that you readers raised in excess of $2,000 for [...]]]> Hey everyone!

I’m at the Crowne Plaza for Over the Edge, and our first rappellers are about to go down! Here’s the view from the top:

I’m excited and nervous, but that’s neither here nor there.

The important thing is that you readers raised in excess of $2,000 for Special Olympics of NY. Dreams will be realized and self-esteems boosted due to your kindness. So on behalf of the Special Olympics of NY, thank you for your generosity.

And if you haven’t already, you still can still donate by visiting the website. A little bit makes all the difference in the world for the athletes and their families.

We (me and teammate Meghan Mae) go down at 3:30pm.

THE COMPLETE SCHEDULE

• 10am-3pm WGNA’s Kevin Richards –on site for a live remote
• 10:50am Erin Regazzo – Director of Marketing at the Times Union Center to rappel
• 11:00am Professional Boxers Vinny Maddalone, Shannon Miller and Mike Faragon along with Pugnacious Promotions owner Lisa Elovich to rappel
• 11am-1pm Tri-City Valley Cats Mascots
• 12pm-2pm WGNA’s Donation Request Lunch Hour
• 12:45-1:30 Capital Technical Rescue’s Special Ops Challenge with: APD Assistant Chief Brendan Cox, Army Nat’l Guard Sgt Scott Leslie, NYSID’s Frank Heuer
• 2:10pm Jeff Michaelson – Director of Catering at the Crowne Plaza to rappel
• 3:00pm Jared from Melville’s Mug to rappel– Melville’s will also sell tickets to throw water balloons at Jared while scaling the rock wall
• 3:35pm Times Union Blogger Kevin Marshall to rappel
• 5:50pm Tim Minahan – TD Bank VP to rappel
• 7:00pm After party begins at McGeary’s Irish Pub

I’ll be tweeting throughout the today! Follow @KevinMarshall to get updates throughout the day.

Join OTE on Facebook for updates

Also, congratulations to Laurel H. who won the $25 Target Gift Card!

I’ll be rappelling with teammate Meghan Mae at 3:35pm. I’ll also be there before and after providing services for the event as an Escort*. Ooo la la!

In addition to the rappeling during the [...]]]> This Friday is Over the Edge, an event to raise funds for the Special Olympics of NY.

I’ll be rappelling with teammate Meghan Mae at 3:35pm. I’ll also be there before and after providing services for the event as an Escort*. Ooo la la!

In addition to the rappeling during the day, we’ll be at the after-party at McGeary’s starting at 7:00pm. Bring a friend!

It’s not too late to give. Please give what you can – every little bit goes a long way towards helping the Special Olympics of NY. More info & to donate: CLICK HERE. All the incentives for giving listed on that page are still available until Thursday at midnight! (I still owe Courtney and Patrick portraits and Jason P. his promised video – all of which will come this week!)

* Meaning I literally escort people around the site, not the “everything but kissing” type of escort.

================================

Note: all info comes from the OTE organizers. For further info or if you have any inquiries, please visit their site

COVERAGE

• Listen live on 1057. CrushFM all morning
• FOX morning news: watch Stephanie Schelkun rappel!
• LookTV news: watch David Storey’s rappel!

SCHEDULE

• 9:00am First rappellers to arrive – t-shirts, photos and merchandise to go on sale
• 10:00am Rappellers start coming down
  WGNA’s Casey Danton to race 104.5 The Team and The Noe Show’s Brian Noe
• 10am-3pm WGNA’s Kevin Richards –on site for a live remote
• 10:50am Erin Regazzo – Director of Marketing at the Times *************Union Center to rappel
• 11:00am Professional Boxers Vinny Maddalone, Shannon Miller and Mike Faragon along with Pugnacious Promotions owner Lisa Elovich to rappel
• 11am-1pm Tri-City Valley Cats Mascots
• 12pm-2pm WGNA’s Donation Request Lunch Hour
• 12:45-1:30 Capital Technical Rescue’s Special Ops Challenge with:APD Assistant Chief Brendan Cox, Army Nat’l Guard Sgt Scott Leslie, NYSID’s Frank Heuer
• 2:10pm Jeff Michaelson – Director of Catering at the Crowne Plaza to rappel
• 3:00pm Jared from Melville’s Mug to rappel – Melville’s will also sell tickets to throw water balloons at Jared while scaling the rock wall
• 3:35pm Local sex symbol Kevin Marshall to rappel (note: they actually refer to me as “Times Union blogger” but I like my title better)
• 5:50pm Tim Minahan – TD Bank VP to rappel
• 7:00pm After party begins at McGeary’s Irish Pub

As you’re likely aware, Hurricane Irene is currently projected on a path that includes our area and will likely still be a Category 1 storm by the time it hits us. It has been literally decades since this area saw a true hurricane-strength storm, and as a region that [...]]]>

Projected path of Hurricane Irene as of Friday afternoon

Hello my fellow Kevin Marshall’s Americans,

As you’re likely aware, Hurricane Irene is currently projected on a path that includes our area and will likely still be a Category 1 storm by the time it hits us. It has been literally decades since this area saw a true hurricane-strength storm, and as a region that is not accustomed to or designed to withstand hurricanes, we could be in for some trouble.

But fret not. Here’s 16 helpful tips to help you prepare for the worst-case scenario. 

1.  
   1. Have flashlights and candles. This seems like a no-brainer, but many people overlook it.
   2. Have 1 gallon of water set aside per person.
   3. Though most refrigerators will seal food and keep them from spoiling too much during a brief (4-6 hour) outage, foods like milk, yogurt, and cheese will likely go bad. Don’t be surprised if you have to discard them.
   4. Have enough non-perishable food items to get you through a minimum of 3 days.
   5. Check your first aid kit. If you don’t have one, GET ONE!
   6. Have cash on hand (can’t process credit cards with no electricity!)
   7. Have ample food and water for your kitties and puppies.
   8. Stock up on batteries.
   9. Have a radio! I know so many people that don’t have one anymore, but it’s still essential for emergency situations.
   10. Learn another language. We have plenty of multi-culturalism in this area, and depending on how long we go, traditional communications could render things a bit anarchistic. You could end up in a group of mixed ethnicities, cultures, and languages.
   11. Develop your skills. Nothing ensures survival in a group quite like being useful.
   12. Take stock of your jiu-jitsu skills. You may have to fend off scavengers, and there’s no defense quite like a good offense and a strong guard.
   13. Human flesh tastes like pork.
   14. Not everyone with a gun is going to use it. Mostly it’s just for show and they don’t have the heart to pull the trigger. This is not to say you can take chances, but you can lull them into a false sense of security pretty easily.
   15. Donate $15 to the Special Olympics of NY, which will commission me to draw a picture of you. This way, if you don’t make it through the storm, you’ll be forever memorialized.
   16. Get all of your crazy, manic hostilities out now. Don’t wait until tomorrow or Sunday to post a passive-aggressive dig at a blogger through comments because it will be too late by then (, Gary).

Best of luck to all of you and remember, hurricanes are unpredictable. We could be in for the storm of the century or it could veer off and miss us entirely. The important thing to remember is that if we can survive the devastation of earthquakes and cupcakes, we can survive anything.

Tune in tonight as I join host Ethan Ullman to discuss a multitude of topics including but not limited to comedy in the Capital Region, childhood memories, the August 23rd Earthquake (hit the streets and never forget), and [...]]]> Tonight, the comedy radio program Alternative 2 Sleep on WCDB has a very special guest.

ME!

Tune in tonight as I join host Ethan Ullman to discuss a multitude of topics including but not limited to comedy in the Capital Region, childhood memories, the August 23rd Earthquake (hit the streets and never forget), and a pending career move for yours truly. What is it? You’ll have to tune in to find out!

Listen LIVE tonight and every Thursday, 10pm to midnight.
terrestrial airwaves: 90.9FM in Albany, NY

Or listen online:

• through the WCDB website
• on iTunes
• Live video stream

No idea where this originated, but it’s been floating around my Facebook feed over the last twelve hours. Note – according to reader Henri, it looks like it originated from Fark.com.

Other notes:

Today and tomorrow I’ll be highlighting my two teammates in this effort and what they’re offering in exchange for your donation. Yesterday was Meghan [...]]]> This week will be focused on helping our team meet its goal of raising $5,000 for the Special Olympics of NY as part of their “Over the Edge” fundraising event.

Today and tomorrow I’ll be highlighting my two teammates in this effort and what they’re offering in exchange for your donation. Yesterday was Meghan Mae, who is offering a variety of baked goods in exchange for your generosity. Today is local musician and ne’er-do-well Phil Nagle.

Also, you can get a song written about you for donating. More info below.

Phil (right) with Danny DeVito (left)

NAME: Philip Thomas Nagle
HOMETOWN: Scotia, NY
CURRENTLY RESIDING: Scotia, NY
WHAT DO YOU DO? Attempting to become incredibly famous
FEAR OF HEIGHTS ON A SCALE OF 1 to 10: 8.5
WHY ARE YOU RAPPELING? : This is such an amazing cause, and its an incredibly opportunity for a amateur thrill seeker like me!
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO SAY: I am moving to LA 2 weeks after this thing! Help me leave with a bang!!

Phil, a musician, is making a variety of fun offers in exchange for your donation. Again, from the man himself:

• $10 or less: I will mail you a package including a letter and numerous extras, such as stickers, pins, drawings, fun things! The more you donate, the more you get!
• More than $10: I will write you a poem about how beautiful you are, and hand draw a full color representation.
• $25 or more: I will WRITE A SONG ABOUT ANY TOPIC YOU CHOOSE IN ANY GENRE YOU CHOOSE. Add $20 to one of the above two and I’ll make a theatrical video version.
• $50 or more: I’ll make an EP (5 songs) dedicated to any genre/topic you choose, with a hand made cover. -OR – I will make you a piece of art of any topic you choose. It will be brilliant and one day worth millions as I plan on becoming incredibly famous. :)
• $75 or more: I’ll make you a DVD of all the short films I have ever made, and will write you a song for the DVD menu screen. Please note, this is embarrassing for me!
• $100 or more: NAME YOUR OWN! If it is within reason, i’ll do it. Also, drum lessons, guitar lessons are available upon request.
• For a decent sum of money I will recreate 5 minutes of ANY film you choose.

To donate to Phil, CLICK HERE.

——-

Over the Edge is an event where individuals raise money to rappel down the 18-story Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Albany. For more information, visit Team Kevin Marshall’s America’s homepage on KevinMarshallOnline.com.

Why don’t you shut your mouth and let me tell you what you’re doing.

You’re going to leave work, maybe get dinner. Hopefully you’ll get it with the special someone in your life, but if you’re like me you’ll eat a can of hot chili alone. [...]]]> Hello, Kevin Marshall’s Americans! What’re you doing after work?

Why don’t you shut your mouth and let me tell you what you’re doing.

You’re going to leave work, maybe get dinner. Hopefully you’ll get it with the special someone in your life, but if you’re like me you’ll eat a can of hot chili alone. Well dump that bowl in the sink and wipe those tears away, because you need to be ready to go at 8:00pm LIVE at Valentine’s.

Only five bucks? Sweet sassy molassy, that’s some cheap entertainment.

Both acts have a lot of buzz around them, and it’s being put on by my favorite over-the-air radio program and my favorite local station.

Come listen to beautiful music with us and bid the summer a fond farewell.