Send Gov. Patterson a soda can (or a dozen)
Dec 22, 2008 Cool Links, New York State, Politics
Bob Lonsberry’s fed up with the state of our state government, and the proposed taxes and fees in Governor Patterson’s budget. So he’s cooked up his own little Boston Tea Party:
We need to get in their face. Young and old, black and white, Democrat and Republican. The college students and the business owners. The folks who resent a tax on downloads and the folks who resent a tax on haircuts. The ones who think an 18-percent tax on soda pop is nuts and the people who think a $1 million tax on nuclear power plants is nuts. Everyone who uses the insurance or the services or the products that have come under nuclear-tax attack by the governor.
We need to stand together – or we will hang alone.
And here’s the first step. Let’s send the governor a present. Because the insane non-diet soda-pop tax has gotten the most media attention, let’s start there. Let’s send him a can of soda.
Not a full can — that would cost us too much money in postage and packaging. We’re going to send him an empty can — that takes the weight down from just under 13 ounces to less than one. If we do it right, i’ll only cost us an envelope and 42 cents postage.
Read the whole column for details and an address to which to send your empty cans. 
Programming Note: Election night coverage
Oct 27, 2008 Blog News, In The News, New York State, Politics
My friend Alex (link when I can confirm it) and I will be planning to liveblog election results on our respective blogs as we get them on Tuesday night, November 4. My coverage will not be starting until 10-ish PM EST*, as I will be busy as a Monroe County election inspector until at least 9:30 PM (New York polls close at 9 PM).
*That is EST, not EDT. Daylight Saving Time in the US and Canada ends this Sunday, November 2. Extra hour of sleep Saturday night!
Democrat and Chronicle covers race for NY-25
Aug 19, 2008 New York State, Politics, Rochester
Voting for the sacrificial lamb when you know the huge incumbent is going to win by a huge margin anyway isn’t all that satisfying. But now that I live in a district that’s actually in contention instead of locked-in as Democrat, it’s an interesting change of pace to read about the different candidates for office, and prepare for a decision that actually means something.
Today, the Democrat and Chronicle covers the two candidates running for the open seat (incumbent Rep. Jim Walsh (R) is not running for reelection) in New York’s 25th congressional district.
New York City photos
Jul 15, 2008 New York State, Photos
New York City 058
Originally uploaded by Pauley2483.
My photos from my first ever trip to New York City are now live on Flickr. Go have a look!
McCain has a chance in New York? UPDATED
Jun 7, 2008 New York State, Politics
Interesting article in today’s Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. With New York’s US senator Hillary Clinton soon to depart the race for president, Clinton supporters who don’t care for Barack Obama and John McCain’s appeal to some independant voters, the state of New York could be in play for the first time since Ronald Reagan won the state (and all the others, too, save for Minnesota) in 1984.
UPDATE: The article also points out that this could all go out the window if Clinton becomes Obama’s running mate. Peggy Noonan writes in the Wall Street Journal why he shouldn’t pick her: “She doesn’t turn the page. She is the page.”
Paterson revisited (Oh yeah, I remember you…)
Mar 16, 2008 In The News, New York State, Politics, Whoops...
I either randomly stumbled across it in an article someplace (if I did, I didn’t save the link), or someone mentioned it in conversation recently, but I remembered the other day that I’ve blogged about man due to be sworn in as the next Governor of New York tomorrow, David Paterson, before. He had the wacky idea at the time to try to legislate that cops should, when things get dicey enough to require use of arms, get fancy and shoot to wound rather than shoot to kill.
Hopefully he’s got that idea shook out of his head.
Eliot Spitzer: marketing gold
Mar 14, 2008 In The News, New York State, Politics, Teh Funny, Whoops...
“At Virgin Mobile, you’re more than just a number. When you call us we’ll treat you like a person, not a client. Whether you’re #9 or #900, you’ll get hooked up with somebody who’ll finally treat you just how you want to be treated.”
FOX Biased? Are you sure? – UPDATED
Mar 12, 2008 In The News, New York State, Politics
The stereotypical complaint is that FOX News Channel and its website, FOXNews.com, are politically biased to the right. Which is a reasonable comment, especially considering how far to the left most every other news outlet is; even being a little bit to the right of center is drastic, relative to everyone else.
But even FOXNews.com doesn’t mention that resigning New York Governor Eliot Spitzer is a Democrat until the 19th paragraph of this story.
If he were a Republican, you know it’d be the first word in anyone else’s article copy.
EDIT: I initially identified the article as being from FOX News, however it now shows as credited to the Associated Press; I don’t know whether it changed or I misread it. Now I’m less surprised that it’s so far down the article; in fact, I’m almost surprised the party affiliation was mentioned at all.
What’s worse?
Mar 10, 2008 In The News, New York State, Politics, Teh Funny, Whoops...
That Governor Spitzer may have been caught up in a prostitution sting…
…or this rather silly-looking picture from his abrupt press conference this afternoon?
(AP photo, retrieved from FOXNews.com)
NY Gov. Spitzer allegedly involved in prostitution ring
Mar 10, 2008 In The News, New York State, Politics, Whoops...
This should make it, *ahem* interesting to be a New Yorker for the next few months, if not longer: Governor Eliot Spitzer, in advance of a suddenly-scheduled announcement for later this afternoon, has allegedly admitted to his staff his involvement in a high-priced prostitution ring.
If the allegations prove true, it comes as rather interesting and hypocritical for this to be coming from the former state attorney general who has, from the article, “built his political legacy on rooting out corruption.” As I’m typing this, the radio is reporting Spitzer may possibly resign.
For the record, I voted for the other guy. 
