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.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
My Superintendent, The Hero
ROCHESTER - I am no fan of the Democrat and Chronicle's wishy-washy editorials. They tend to state both sides of issues and offer no actual solutions, but often criticize solutions others have offered. When they took on the hot topic of the Rochester City School District's new Code of Discipline, I chose to read wondering what insight they would offer. Instead of taking on the actual code, however, I was surprised to read that they were not taking issue with the actual content of the code, but rather the manner it was created, or maybe stolen from New York City! Gasp! The piece even admits that there was a reference to the source, but it wasn't clear enough. Considering the issues surrounding our city district and the issues going on in the world at large, I couldn't believe my eyes that this was somehow deemed newsworthy. Why is it not?
1. Our Superintendent, Jean-Claude Brizard, was previously employed in New York City.
2. Brizard was employed in the New York City School District. In fact, he was there when it was developed and enacted.
3. If it worked in NYC, it may work here. Their district faces many similar challenges as ours.
4. Oh, yeah. THEY DID REFERENCE THE FACT THEY TOOK IDEAS FROM NEW YORK!!!
So, to my delight, SUPER-Intendent Brizard (as he done admirably all along) stood up and said something. He called out the D and C (to their credit, I guess, they printed it) and did so wonderfully and with just a little sarcasm. He pointed out some of the obvious points I made above and then some. Thus, Brizard is my new hero. Brizard has taken this job and ran with it, and I think we are all going to see what a great job he is doing. We are lucky to have Brizard running our schools and I wish him continued success.
1. Our Superintendent, Jean-Claude Brizard, was previously employed in New York City.
2. Brizard was employed in the New York City School District. In fact, he was there when it was developed and enacted.
3. If it worked in NYC, it may work here. Their district faces many similar challenges as ours.
4. Oh, yeah. THEY DID REFERENCE THE FACT THEY TOOK IDEAS FROM NEW YORK!!!
So, to my delight, SUPER-Intendent Brizard (as he done admirably all along) stood up and said something. He called out the D and C (to their credit, I guess, they printed it) and did so wonderfully and with just a little sarcasm. He pointed out some of the obvious points I made above and then some. Thus, Brizard is my new hero. Brizard has taken this job and ran with it, and I think we are all going to see what a great job he is doing. We are lucky to have Brizard running our schools and I wish him continued success.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
While We're Spending....
ROCHESTER - The federal government has become the parents to deadbeat adult children. Between the airline industry, the financial sector, and, now, the auto industry, they just can't find a way to leave the nest. Under our wonderful free market and global economy, our American (and crappy) companies can't stay solvent. They offer inferior products, services and advice and consumers avoid them. They respond with absolute greed, and naturally, that doesn't help either. So they ask for bailouts. Ma and Pa Fed give a lecture about straightening up and flying right, but in the end hand over the cash. So they don't learn. They eat for a day and for another fish tomorrow. In the new economy, America has become bi-polar. We give money to the airlines because we need to travel. We don't give money to the auto industry because they are in their own mess. We give money to the banks so our economy won't collapse. We don't give money to taxpayers because they can borrow from the newly monied banks. Does anyone else notice a logical disconnect?
I do and it tears me apart. My tendency is to tell all private companies to go screw. If you aren't making money it is your own fault. Business people say that all the time. Or they say that if the government was run more like a business, it would be better. Oh, really? Who is more bankrupt, General Motors or the Office of General Services? As a capitalist, I don't like giving public money to some private companies. That is cronyism and bordering on fascism. I would prefer giving public money to all private companies, but that is communism. But if we are to bail out one industry, why not another? We should bail out all or none, it is only fair.
Since we already bailed out others, why not bail out the auto industry? If we are going to fight wars, we need to have some factories open somewhere with bosses that owe us a favor, just in case we need it. And while we are cashing in favors, we can demand that they provide better gas mileage and better value, so the American companies can compete with foreign ones. We can give them a fish and teach them to fish and solve long term and short term goals at the same time. In addition, the auto industry offers real jobs that have real effect on communities. Bailing out the banks in a sense rewards the jerks that used pyramid schemes with our money. The auto bailout will benefit the auto worker actually produces something.
If we are going to bail people out, bail everyone out. It is not fair to pick and choose who deserves to be bailed out, because in the end, none of them do.
The feds are already up to their eyes in debt. Why not throw a little more on the pile?
I do and it tears me apart. My tendency is to tell all private companies to go screw. If you aren't making money it is your own fault. Business people say that all the time. Or they say that if the government was run more like a business, it would be better. Oh, really? Who is more bankrupt, General Motors or the Office of General Services? As a capitalist, I don't like giving public money to some private companies. That is cronyism and bordering on fascism. I would prefer giving public money to all private companies, but that is communism. But if we are to bail out one industry, why not another? We should bail out all or none, it is only fair.
Since we already bailed out others, why not bail out the auto industry? If we are going to fight wars, we need to have some factories open somewhere with bosses that owe us a favor, just in case we need it. And while we are cashing in favors, we can demand that they provide better gas mileage and better value, so the American companies can compete with foreign ones. We can give them a fish and teach them to fish and solve long term and short term goals at the same time. In addition, the auto industry offers real jobs that have real effect on communities. Bailing out the banks in a sense rewards the jerks that used pyramid schemes with our money. The auto bailout will benefit the auto worker actually produces something.
If we are going to bail people out, bail everyone out. It is not fair to pick and choose who deserves to be bailed out, because in the end, none of them do.
The feds are already up to their eyes in debt. Why not throw a little more on the pile?
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Long Island is Upstate
ROCHESTER - The worst use of my ears by candidates this year was Senator Joe Robach telling my neighborhood association that if we flip the State Senate to Democrat, downstaters will control everything. Guess what? They do already! I am not sure what map Robach, the Democrat and Chronicle, and other Republican toadies are using, but Dean Skelos is from Long Island, which to me, is considered downstate. In fact, downstaters consider Long Island downstate. So if Senate Republicans buy their influence back, the Senate will be left with Long Islander Dean Skelos ruling. On my map, Long Island is further away from Rochester than Harlem, Lower Manhattan and Queens. To sum up, flip, no flip, downstate holds the power. Which has a certain logic to it anyway considering that is where a great majority of our fellow New Yorkers live. Monroe County wouldn't let Chili run the County, would they?
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
The Vice Presidential LP
ROCHESTER - Two related topics to cover here one a VP hopeful and one an ex-VP hopeful. So, in honor of the upcoming appearance of Riders on the Storm (featuring original Doors members Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek) in Rochester, I offer two 'sides' to this blog LP, inspired by the Doors' best studio album, Morrison Hotel.
SIDE A-Hard Rock Cafe-If Joe Lieberman was in the mafia instead of politics, he would be sleeping with the fishes. Or at least he should be. Right now he has turned informant, and will become a man with no country. I don't think he can ever be accepted by the Republicans, and I don't think he can ever regain the trust of Democrats. His speech was little more than a holier than thou enterprise to a lukewarm audience. Telling a distinctly partisan crowd the benefits of being non-partisan is a little silly at best. Sure, we all like a kiss ass. They tell us things we want to hear. But who believes or trusts a kiss ass? No one. Explaining his Michael Moore joke was downright sad and completely unnecessary. The crowd got it Joe, it just wasn't that funny. I can see why Al Gore chose this guy though, as he makes Gore look like Bill Clinton.
SIDE B-Morrison Hotel-Oh those hypocritical Republicans! For a party that once touted (correctly) George H.W. Bush as the 'longest resume in the West', Governor Sarah Palin is an interesting choice as certainly she has the shortest resume in the country. Not that VPs win or lose elections (as the aforementioned Bush proves), but I think they can have some effect if they are either really good choices, or really poor ones. I think Palin is the latter. For one, if they are to hammer Obama for being inexperienced, how can they have someone with less experience than he on their ticket? Furthermore, she is from a small town in a small (population wise) state. If she had been governor of California, Texas, New York or Pennsylvania, that might be okay. But two years in Alaska isn't too impressive, and I am not alone in thinking so. Add to that she has investigative baggage. She may or may not have abused her gubernatorial powers, but the fact she is under investigation should send the Republicans running away. I also don't buy her as a maverick. Fred Thompson says she stood up to the special interests in Alaska. Am I the only one that hasn't a clue to what that means? Dog sledders? Loggers? Crabbers? Honestly, I don't know. It could be true (although mixed in with Thompson's fragmented 1980's style stump speech doesn't give it great credence), but it sounds too generic for my taste. Just for good measure, she is tangled up in questionable lobbying and earmark practices, maybe including support for the famed 'Bridge to Nowhere.' I don't doubt this stuff came up when they searched her background, and altogether they amount to a whole lot, but with these flaws she was still the best choice? It begs the question, exactly how many candidates said no to McCain first?
I am glad Republicans are trying to be progressive, and I could care less about her family's personal issues, but I think she is a stretch for a party so adept at playing it safe. I just hope the debate centers around her amazing inexperience and avoids the tabloid junk that can give her sympathy. I also hope the media and country see McCain for what he really is, a power hungry kiss ass, trying to say what you want to hear until he gets what he wants.
SIDE A-Hard Rock Cafe-If Joe Lieberman was in the mafia instead of politics, he would be sleeping with the fishes. Or at least he should be. Right now he has turned informant, and will become a man with no country. I don't think he can ever be accepted by the Republicans, and I don't think he can ever regain the trust of Democrats. His speech was little more than a holier than thou enterprise to a lukewarm audience. Telling a distinctly partisan crowd the benefits of being non-partisan is a little silly at best. Sure, we all like a kiss ass. They tell us things we want to hear. But who believes or trusts a kiss ass? No one. Explaining his Michael Moore joke was downright sad and completely unnecessary. The crowd got it Joe, it just wasn't that funny. I can see why Al Gore chose this guy though, as he makes Gore look like Bill Clinton.
SIDE B-Morrison Hotel-Oh those hypocritical Republicans! For a party that once touted (correctly) George H.W. Bush as the 'longest resume in the West', Governor Sarah Palin is an interesting choice as certainly she has the shortest resume in the country. Not that VPs win or lose elections (as the aforementioned Bush proves), but I think they can have some effect if they are either really good choices, or really poor ones. I think Palin is the latter. For one, if they are to hammer Obama for being inexperienced, how can they have someone with less experience than he on their ticket? Furthermore, she is from a small town in a small (population wise) state. If she had been governor of California, Texas, New York or Pennsylvania, that might be okay. But two years in Alaska isn't too impressive, and I am not alone in thinking so. Add to that she has investigative baggage. She may or may not have abused her gubernatorial powers, but the fact she is under investigation should send the Republicans running away. I also don't buy her as a maverick. Fred Thompson says she stood up to the special interests in Alaska. Am I the only one that hasn't a clue to what that means? Dog sledders? Loggers? Crabbers? Honestly, I don't know. It could be true (although mixed in with Thompson's fragmented 1980's style stump speech doesn't give it great credence), but it sounds too generic for my taste. Just for good measure, she is tangled up in questionable lobbying and earmark practices, maybe including support for the famed 'Bridge to Nowhere.' I don't doubt this stuff came up when they searched her background, and altogether they amount to a whole lot, but with these flaws she was still the best choice? It begs the question, exactly how many candidates said no to McCain first?
I am glad Republicans are trying to be progressive, and I could care less about her family's personal issues, but I think she is a stretch for a party so adept at playing it safe. I just hope the debate centers around her amazing inexperience and avoids the tabloid junk that can give her sympathy. I also hope the media and country see McCain for what he really is, a power hungry kiss ass, trying to say what you want to hear until he gets what he wants.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Kucinich Rockin' the Rockies
ROCHESTER - I wish it started DENVER after watching Dennis Kucinich's speech at the Democratic National Convention. If you read my blog you know about my devotion (man crush, maybe?) to the gentleman from Cleveland, but unless you are heartless and or wealthy, his speech yesterday has to rile you up. Since you missed it, and I know you did because they did not air it on national TV, nor did the major news channels even include clips of his speech in their highlight reels, here is the link from youtube, a surprising frontrunner in saving our democracy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n9rOpC4gNk
Despite channeling Christopher Walken towards the end, Kucinich kept at his normal populist themes of fair trade, universal health care, no war, and education for all. He implores America to 'wake up' and see that we can not afford 4 more years of failed Republican policy. He contrasts the profiteering of oil and defense companies to the struggles of Middle America. He points out the 'Neo-con artists' manipulation of 9/11 to steal our freedoms and line their pockets with green. Kucinich showed his passion and heart, and why he is a truly great Democrat.
Despite channeling Christopher Walken towards the end, Kucinich kept at his normal populist themes of fair trade, universal health care, no war, and education for all. He implores America to 'wake up' and see that we can not afford 4 more years of failed Republican policy. He contrasts the profiteering of oil and defense companies to the struggles of Middle America. He points out the 'Neo-con artists' manipulation of 9/11 to steal our freedoms and line their pockets with green. Kucinich showed his passion and heart, and why he is a truly great Democrat.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Random Thoughts
ROCHESTER - The political world is a fun one right now. So much scandal, so many decisions to be made and all levels are in the news.
1. Clearly Tom Golisano thinks poorly of Albany politicians. He has endorsed "Baby" Joe Mesi's candidacy for state senate. That is right. Mr. G believes that a guy who gets punched in the head for a living is qualified to help run our state. Actually, he no longer gets punched in the face for a living because the Nevada Boxing Commission won't let him because of BRAIN BLEEDING. So his head is too messed up to box, yet he can solve Albany?
2. Monroe County Clerk Cheryl Dinolfo is a menace to society. She allows (yes, the actions of those under your employ reflect on you) residents' social security numbers to be posted online on the County Clerk's website. Her opponent calls her out on it and she claims politics. Uhh, do your job.
3. Vice presidential sweepstakes are at a fever pitch. I hope Obama goes for Kucinich. I know he won't, so I don't really care. Joe Biden would be funny, though. McCain can't find anyone to balance his ticket because he is on every side of every issue.
4. My new favorite athlete is Bolt of Jamaica. He is fun to watch and he is not Michael Phelps. I like Phelps' Baltimoreness, but I am sick of the hype. He is a swimmer. Win a decathlon and then you can be the greatest Olympian.
5. Lastly, Buffalo Assemblyman Sam Hoyt has no game, but won't likely pay for it. He may be a penguin boxer wearin', toe nail paintin', intern nailin' scumbag, but in a primary, he only has to convince half of people who are predisposed to liking him he shouldn't lose his job over marriage infidelity. Oh well.
1. Clearly Tom Golisano thinks poorly of Albany politicians. He has endorsed "Baby" Joe Mesi's candidacy for state senate. That is right. Mr. G believes that a guy who gets punched in the head for a living is qualified to help run our state. Actually, he no longer gets punched in the face for a living because the Nevada Boxing Commission won't let him because of BRAIN BLEEDING. So his head is too messed up to box, yet he can solve Albany?
2. Monroe County Clerk Cheryl Dinolfo is a menace to society. She allows (yes, the actions of those under your employ reflect on you) residents' social security numbers to be posted online on the County Clerk's website. Her opponent calls her out on it and she claims politics. Uhh, do your job.
3. Vice presidential sweepstakes are at a fever pitch. I hope Obama goes for Kucinich. I know he won't, so I don't really care. Joe Biden would be funny, though. McCain can't find anyone to balance his ticket because he is on every side of every issue.
4. My new favorite athlete is Bolt of Jamaica. He is fun to watch and he is not Michael Phelps. I like Phelps' Baltimoreness, but I am sick of the hype. He is a swimmer. Win a decathlon and then you can be the greatest Olympian.
5. Lastly, Buffalo Assemblyman Sam Hoyt has no game, but won't likely pay for it. He may be a penguin boxer wearin', toe nail paintin', intern nailin' scumbag, but in a primary, he only has to convince half of people who are predisposed to liking him he shouldn't lose his job over marriage infidelity. Oh well.
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