ROCHESTER - New Year's is a great time. There is the chance to reflect on the past year, and a chance to start over again. In this tradition people often create resolutions as promises to do things better than the year before. Since I am perfect and need no such tune ups (where is all that laughter coming from?), I have decided to play the role of butt-inski and suggest some resolutions for others.
Ted Kennedy - to continue to fight both your brain tumor and for national health care. My prayers are with you, as always.
Dennis Kucinich - to continue to be the old school liberal and courageous visionary that you are.
Maggie Brooks - to tell the truth about your taxing and budgeting issues for once. Not every problem is created by the State of New York or the powerless county leg. Democrat minority.
Bob Duffy - to stick to your budgeting guns. Questioning contracts can make enemies, but asking questions is fair and sometimes very helpful. Informed decisions are better than status quo.
Governor Paterson - to stick to your budgeting guns. New York needs to change its spending habits and this crisis is the opportunity for real reform.
Ralph Wilson - to pay a coach a decent wage. If you aren't willing to pay for a top coach, you won't get one. Don't fire Jauron to replace him with another mid level guy. Put up or shut up.
The Amerks - to keep working hard and fight more. We Rochesterians appreciate an undermanned team if you work hard and play with passion.
New Yorkers - to take a deep breath and read a national newspaper. Illinois is much more dysfunctional than we are, so quit calling us the worst in the nation. We are not.
2009 looks to be an eventful year. After all, we will have a new president, a new senator and maybe even a new majority in the county legislature. Economic woes will continue downward, but as a certain fictional DA told us in Dark Knight, 'The night is always darkest before dawn. The dawn is coming.' I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year's.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
Random Thoughts
ROCHESTER - Time for more random thoughts. Maybe because it is Monday, or maybe because it is the holiday season, I am even more incoherent than usual (that's pretty incoherent). Anyway, stuff happens and time for my take.
1. Genesee beer, uh, I mean High Falls Brewing, has won more awards. Genny itself got a gold, Honey Brown got a gold and Dundee Porter snagged a bronze. Too bad Genny is still a well kept secret in town. Does Bud feel ignored in St. Louis? Cheers to the best beer company on Earth, keep making great Genny and I will keep the hometown pride alive.
2. Maggie Brooks is still a terrible leader. She can't add, she can't spin, she pretty much can't do anything. Except try to push blame for her miserable policies on either the state or Dems in the county leg. The County's (really the GOP's) obsession with flat tax rates and or levies (whichever is more convenient at the time) has killed us. Yet she refuses to face reality and fix the structural budgetary issues. I am guessing there are enough one shot revenue sources to get her to the next election year and let Dinolfo try to figure it out (or try to try to figure it out).
3. Speaking of elections, the City has a few this year, including Mayor, 5 at large city council seats and 3 school board seats. Here is the early scoop: Duffy will win re-election. Yup, pretty big limb I am out on right now, but hey, you gotta risk big to win big. In reality, the council will be an interesting melee as usual. Carolee Conklin deserves to be the top vote getter for her continued and diligent service to our city. I expect that Dana Miller and Bill Pritchard should also cruise to well deserved victories. Gladys Santiago will also win handily. The real fun will be seeing how John Lightfoot fares. His DWI case made some headlines and upset some people. But come election time, will it matter? School Board also tends to be a bit of a free for all, and with Brizard making some great progress, this may be a meaningful moment for our schools. I hope that we get the chance to choose from the best and the brightest.
4. Oh, the Bills. Bills, Bills, Bills. What are we going to do with you? Losing is one thing. That is pretty much par for the course now. Do you have to elevate us just enough to bring us down? Not sure the lads from Tool were Bills fans when they dropped that lyric, but it sure fits doesn't it? And don't "Bills" up the place by winning the remaining games to lower the draft pick. Lose so we can get a pass rushing defensive end.
5. In what will likely be his signature video clip, the Leader of the Free World had not one, but two shoes thrown at him. The Iraqi reporter was likely acting out a fantasy common for Americans as they sit in front of their TV sets. I have two questions though. How in the world does a guy who throws a shoe get the opportunity to get off a second throw? I hope some secret service guys got fired for that. Second, will the holidays at the Bushes become a debate over which President Bush has the better chance at winning America's Funniest Home Videos? I would vote for HW and his vomiting, but I am fairly immature.
1. Genesee beer, uh, I mean High Falls Brewing, has won more awards. Genny itself got a gold, Honey Brown got a gold and Dundee Porter snagged a bronze. Too bad Genny is still a well kept secret in town. Does Bud feel ignored in St. Louis? Cheers to the best beer company on Earth, keep making great Genny and I will keep the hometown pride alive.
2. Maggie Brooks is still a terrible leader. She can't add, she can't spin, she pretty much can't do anything. Except try to push blame for her miserable policies on either the state or Dems in the county leg. The County's (really the GOP's) obsession with flat tax rates and or levies (whichever is more convenient at the time) has killed us. Yet she refuses to face reality and fix the structural budgetary issues. I am guessing there are enough one shot revenue sources to get her to the next election year and let Dinolfo try to figure it out (or try to try to figure it out).
3. Speaking of elections, the City has a few this year, including Mayor, 5 at large city council seats and 3 school board seats. Here is the early scoop: Duffy will win re-election. Yup, pretty big limb I am out on right now, but hey, you gotta risk big to win big. In reality, the council will be an interesting melee as usual. Carolee Conklin deserves to be the top vote getter for her continued and diligent service to our city. I expect that Dana Miller and Bill Pritchard should also cruise to well deserved victories. Gladys Santiago will also win handily. The real fun will be seeing how John Lightfoot fares. His DWI case made some headlines and upset some people. But come election time, will it matter? School Board also tends to be a bit of a free for all, and with Brizard making some great progress, this may be a meaningful moment for our schools. I hope that we get the chance to choose from the best and the brightest.
4. Oh, the Bills. Bills, Bills, Bills. What are we going to do with you? Losing is one thing. That is pretty much par for the course now. Do you have to elevate us just enough to bring us down? Not sure the lads from Tool were Bills fans when they dropped that lyric, but it sure fits doesn't it? And don't "Bills" up the place by winning the remaining games to lower the draft pick. Lose so we can get a pass rushing defensive end.
5. In what will likely be his signature video clip, the Leader of the Free World had not one, but two shoes thrown at him. The Iraqi reporter was likely acting out a fantasy common for Americans as they sit in front of their TV sets. I have two questions though. How in the world does a guy who throws a shoe get the opportunity to get off a second throw? I hope some secret service guys got fired for that. Second, will the holidays at the Bushes become a debate over which President Bush has the better chance at winning America's Funniest Home Videos? I would vote for HW and his vomiting, but I am fairly immature.
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