French Toast too Damn High !
A curious political event occurred a few doors down from The Bowery Mission. Amongst the restaurant equipment merchant district just above ChinaTown and just over from the 'Village', is a bar/lounge called the Katrana (I hope). 
It was the host to the first third party gubernatorial debate in NY. It's participants were the Libertarian's own John Clifton and organized by Jimmy McMillan, candidate for The Rent is Too Damn High party. Or at least what Jimmy McMillan hopes is a new party. In order to be an 'official' party in NY, an individual who has agreed to carry the banner of an interested group must attain 50,000 votes for Governor. Mr. McMillan tells me he collected 15,000 signatures with the help of community activists and volunteers. Despite being on the ballot, he is certainly not being covered as even the other third parties are. He also grouses that New York State is trying to deny him the 'damn' part on the ballot. I was asked at the last minute to video tape this event on Saturday October 28. Here's what happened . . .
A shame really. The voters are denied a fundamental aspect of the democratic process. We organized a debate in early June that was avoided by both the heavies in this race. Citizen Action sponsered a healthcare forum in July that we were invited to. Despite what I knew to be an obvious hijack of free market values, I took the hit for the ertswhile Congressman who apparently was in town that day. Here's the video archive I made of that event. At least some vestige of debate is preserved from this looney race. 
