In today's Times there's a story about Robert Grandt, a school librarian who promoted a book written by his daughter. Not only did he put it on display, but he wrote a little blurb about it wherever school librarians write little blurbs. When students inquired about it, he gave them copies free of charge. However, one of Mayor Bloomberg's particularly astute Tweedies determined the librarian's daughter might be making 20 cents on each copy of the book the guy gave away.
Naturally, they could not allow such an outrage. So they threatened to fire Mr. Grandt, presented him with a $1,000 fine (which his wife managed to negotiate down to 500), and made him sign an affidavit saying he violated some crucial ethics code. What was Grandt's excuse for this dastardly and cynical act?
"I was just so proud of my daughter for writing it.”
Can you imagine?
On the same page there's a story about how the city council will vote tomorrow on extending term limits for Mayor Bloomberg and the very members of the council who are voting. Though the people of NY have voted term limits up twice, Mayor Bloomberg says it would be too complicated to ask them again. Plus Ronald Lauder, a gazillionaire colleague of Mayor Bloomberg, says it's OK. So really, who cares what the people think?
As long Mayor Bloomberg is standing firm on keeping those awful unionized teachers accountable, he can do whatever the hell he feels like, however the hell he feels like, and whenever the hell he feels like doing it. After all, you have to give those plebians something to aspire to.
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