A committee has been appointed to study implementation of E-Filing for civil court records in Monroe County. Via RBJ:

Monroe County Clerk Cheryl Dinolfo and Supreme Court Justices Kenneth Fisher and Matthew Rosenbaum have been appointed by Supreme Court Justice Thomas VanSydonk (sic) to chair the E-Filing Implementation Committee for Monroe County.

The committee will oversee the development of an Internet-based submission and retrieval system for civil court records.

The county was authorized to accept e-filings of court records under recent legislature passed by the State Legislature and expected to be signed by Gov. David Paterson.

Is this committee’s work important? Important enough, say, to include non-Republicans? The three chairs are Republicans, as is the Justice who appointed them, Thomas M. Van Strydonck.

To coin a phrase:  ”Justice is blind… to Democrats and other non-Republicans.”

Did you catch this?  The national republican party is  opening offices in several counties in New York including Monroe.

Is this part of some 50 state strategy thing on the RNC’s part?

via the D&C

ALBANY — The Republican National Committee is setting up regional offices in Monroe, Erie and Dutchess counties with the help of local chairmen for this year’s congressional and state races.

…

Republican leaders said the national party plans to set up six regional offices in the state, but the location of the other three has yet to be determined.

The move, first reported by the New York Daily News, is rare for a national party because they usually work directly with the state party rather than the counties. It’s unclear how much money the national party plans to hand over to the county parties for the operations.

Some Republican leaders have viewed it as a sign of the national GOP’s dissatisfaction with state chairman Ed Cox, who backed Democrat-turned-Republican Steve Levy for governor instead of Republican Rick Lazio. Lazio won the party’s nomination at its convention this month.

In the end there is a desire on the RNC piece to claim victory when a couple of New York Congressional seats - switch as well as an attempt to retain status quo in Albany via retention of GOP State Senators.

If that is victory - I’d hate to see what defeat looks like.

That Sarah, she is not afraid to really tells it like it is. That’s why you lefties are so afraid of her. Now Sarah is joining the Obama=Hitler chorus, with her Tweet endorsing a column by Thomas Sowell.  Excerpt from the Sowell piece below. For Sarah, apparently anything goes if it will garner a little attention.  Sarah= Opportunist.

When Adolf Hitler was building up the Nazi movement in the 1920s, leading up to his taking power in the 1930s, he deliberately sought to activate people who did not normally pay much attention to politics.

Such people were a valuable addition to his political base, since they were particularly susceptible to Hitler’s rhetoric and had far less basis for questioning his assumptions or his conclusions.

“Useful idiots” was the term supposedly coined by V.I. Lenin to describe similarly unthinking supporters of his dictatorship in the Soviet Union.

Put differently, a democracy needs informed citizens if it is to thrive, or ultimately even survive.

In our times, American democracy is being dismantled, piece by piece, before our very eyes by the current administration in Washington, and few people seem to be concerned about it.

Boy, lemme talk some horse sense inta y’all…. The Mullahs of the Texas Republican Party released their 2010 platform recently.  Their We-hate-the-world-let’s-turn-back-time positions are too numerous to list… but here are a few:

We believe the Minimum Wage Law should be repealed.

We call upon the Federal Communications Commission to revoke broadcast licenses of stations that air programs and advertisements in violation of existing laws and FCC guidelines. We further oppose reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine and any similar concept, which would limit outlets for free speech.

We oppose the legalization of sodomy. We demand that Congress exercise its authority granted by the U.S. Constitution to withhold jurisdiction from the federal courts from cases involving sodomy.

We believe Congress should repeal the Federal Reserve Act of 1913.We call on the Legislative, Executive and Judicial branches of these United States to clarify Section 1 of the 14th amendment to limit citizenship by birth to those born to a citizen of the United States: with no exceptions.

Our policy [on Israel] is based on God’s biblical promise to bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel and we further invite other nations and organizations to enjoy the benefits of that promise.

We oppose a one-world government in direct opposition to our basic principles and eroding our sovereignty. We oppose the implementation of one world currency.

We demand Congress stop funding the IMF and any other international financing agencies.

We believe it is in the best interest of the citizens of the United States that we immediately rescind our membership in, as well as all financial and military contributions to, the United Nations.

Dean of Harvard Law School? Solicitor General of the United States? Supreme Court clerk? I’m sorry, when it comes to the law, she is an ignorant stooge… AND an extreme radical. Regarding the Kagan nomination, Michael Savage tries to ensure there is enough ignorance to go around.

Yesterday, the longest-ever serving member of Congress, Senator Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, died at the age of 92. After several terms in the House and over half of a century in the Senate, Byrd became an institution in his own right. I count him as my greatest inspiration for getting into politics and so his passing has a special meaning for me as well as the whole country.

I had the great fortune of meeting Senator Byrd in person on Capitol Hill some years ago when I happened to run into him in the Senate gift shop of all places. When he was leaving, I scurried up behind him and said, “Senator Byrd?” He half glanced over his shoulder and responded, “Yes” before turning around to face me. We shook hands and I introduced myself and told him how important his opposition to the Iraq War was for me and so many other everyday citizens who were fed up with the Bush administration. He smiled, nodded, and said in a low voice, “Thank you.”

I’ll never forget that moment for the rest of my life. I wasn’t going to take up too much of his time, but I could have gone on for much longer talking to him about what an inspiration he was to me. It was much more than just his amazing biography: over 18,500 roll call votes cast, 97% attendance record, Majority Whip from 1971-1977, Senate Democratic Leader from 1977-1989, President Pro Tempore of the Senate starting in 1989, Chairman/Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee for decades. He authored volumes of history on the Roman Senate and many other books on policy, politics, and his own life.

He was one of the greatest orators and masters of parliamentary procedure ever seen in the United States Senate. He was a man of the Senate and had an abiding faith in the American Constitution which he wielded from his jacket pocket in a fierce debate like a soldier drawing his sword in battle. He spoke with unbelievable force and passion against the Iraq War. Ironically, it was Iraq that cemented the great friendship between Byrd and Ted Kennedy, who joined arm-in-arm to form the core of the anti-war contingent in Congress. They never gave up their efforts to bring the troops home and in the last few months Byrd became a critic of Obama’s Afghanistan policy. He always emphasized the importance of the Congress and the role of the Senate in particular.

Robert Byrd embodied the United States in so many ways. The son of a coal-miner who married his high school sweetheart, Byrd was also a former member of the Klan and joined in the filibuster of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He renounced his racist past and in his later years, he went from being one of the most conservative Democrats in Congress to become a favorite of many in the left wing of the party for his outspokenness on civil libertarian issues. Likewise, he went from being a hawk who voted for the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution to become a leader among the “Immortal 23” senators who voted against the Iraq War. Byrd had the ability and intelligence to put into words what so many of us were thinking — whether on civil liberties, responsible use of the filibuster, foreign affairs, or the need for investment in public works — Robert Byrd spoke for me and many other Americans. Byrd and his views changed as America changed. He went from being behind the times to being ahead of the times and I deeply admire him for that.

With the deaths of Ted Kennedy and now Robert Byrd, the Senate will never be the same again. This marks an end of an era in American history. I thank Senator Byrd for all he accomplished and I will always remember him.

Sorry for the site being off line.  Apparently, what we thought was an automatic bill paying activity wasn’t so automatic after all.  Anyway, we are back.  Not quite dead yet actually feeling quite better…

Remember the special election for NY’s 20th congressional seat after Kirsten Gillibrand accepted Hillary’s vacated senate seat offered by David Paterson?  Remember how much fun we had with the close race that had to be recounted and it was touch and go all the way?

This November maybe a little bit easier with the addition of the Working Families line for Murphy.

Rep. Scott Murphy, D-Glens Falls, has accepted the endorsement of the Working Families Party in his bid for re-election.

“I am honored to accept the endorsement of the Working Families Party,” Murphy said in a statement. “I pledge to continue fighting to ease the burden on New York’s small businesses and middle class families so we can work together to renew the Upstate economy.”

Murphy also has the Independent line:

Murphy also has the backing of the Independence Party; the WFP will give him three lines on the November ballot, provided he is able to gather enough petition signatures to secure them. (He needs 1,250 signatures from registered Independents and Democrats, but under 100 from registered WFP voters.)

Although these endorsements are helpful, take a look at his competition.  Chris Gibson has an impressive resume:

You may recall last November there was a special congressional election in New York’s 23rd District in the North Country. In the midst of the contentious health care debate, Democrats won this district after a true debacle broke out on the Republican side. The Conservative Party endorsed Doug Hoffman over moderate Republican Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava. In the end, Scozzafava dropped out and Hoffman went on to lose anyway.

Well, Republicans are set to split the ballot again this November: not only has Hoffman been assured to have the Conservative line again, but now the Independence Party has given their line to Republican Matt Doheny. That means that no matter who wins the primary this September for the official Republican line, the GOP will have at least two viable candidates splitting the center-right vote.

YNN has the story:

Doheny is fighting Doug Hoffman for the GOP line against Owens. The Conservative Party, which backed Hoffman against Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava in the special election, is so far sticking with him this time around, too.

That’s in spite of the fact that local Republican leaders have complained Hoffman isn’t working hard enough and are behind Doheny.

The Indys backed Assemblywoman Scozzafava last year, and were stuck with her after she was pushed out of the race by the more conservative Hoffman just days before the election.

This is gonna be a whole ‘nother round of fun!

I had always thought that I had an immature palate when it came to wines.  Everybody nowadays is drinking dry red wines- Cabernet, Burgundy and the like.  My favorite has always been Niagara, that fruity white that actually tastes like grapes, made right here, in the FingerLakes.  And my favorite Niagara is made by Eagle Crest Vineyards in Hemlock by our friend, Rob Beckman.

When I’ve asked friends who live out of state why their stores don’t sell NY State wines, I have been told, “Because they aren’t any good.”

“OK, I thought, what do I know about wines?

Well, this week, call my opinion validated by the rest of the world.  From Livingston County News:

Eagle Crest Winery International Eastern Wine Competition medals

Gold: Oh-no-lee 2009

Gold: Dry Riesling 2009

Silver: Chardonnay 2008

Silver: Semi-Dry Riesling

Bronze: Hemlock Lake Red 2008

Bronze: Queen of Hearts 2009

Bronze: Cabernet Franc 2008

I am also a fan of his semi-dry Riesling.  We enjoyed a bottle last summer sitting on a dock in the Adirondacks, playing music and singing the afternoon away.

The winery depends on local small liquor stores for distributions. It’s three largest vendors are small stores in Livonia, Lakeville and Geneseo. Local restaurants have also begun to carry the label.

Beckmann said he takes Eagle Crest wines on the road to New York wine and food festivals to make sure state residents know about a small winery they might not have cause to visit on a trip to the larger of the Finger Lakes.

Eagle Crest has been winning competitions “from the get-go,” said Beckmann, pointing out successes in the New York Wine and Food Classic where all eight of the wines entered won medals.

The sweep at the International Eastern was unexpected. All seven wines Beckmann sent in earned medals.

The ‘Best in Class” win was the icing on the cake.

“Never in my wildest imagination did I expect to do so well,” said Beckmann.

Eagle Crest Vineyards

It’s an unpretentious little winery way on the back roads near Hemlock Lake. (If you look real closely, to the right of the building is where I picked up a swarm of bees last month, hanging from the branch of that pine.)

Way to go, Mr Beckman!  It’s good to be right. 

Cutbacks in free lunch programs are just what we need to curb the childhood obesity program. Besides, if poor kids are really that hungry, they can always find food in their kitchen, at MacDonald’s, or in  a dumpster. That, in a nutshell, is Rush Limbaugh’s latest humor initiative.  Ha ha ha, those hungry children really break me up, too.

You know, our abstinence idea worked so well to prevent teen pregnancies, I thought why not branch out, ya know? Sarah Palin says it’s time for God to step in a fix the Gulf oil spill. Oh, and no, the abstinence thing didn’t pan out so well for her own teenage daughter. This is apparently part of the divine effort we mentioned yesterday. Here is Sarah’s Tweet:

Gulf disaster needs divine intervention as man’s efforts have been futile. Gulf lawmakers designate today Day of Prayer for solution/miracle
7:59 AM Jun 20th via Twitter for BlackBerry®

The biggest problem facing America? Give me a break. Obviously it’s the insidious indoctrination of our youth in public schools. To those who insist that Glenn Beck has compelling and innovative ideas, remember that this kind of nonsense comes out of his mouth frequently. Imagine, if you will, our nation without public schools:

Prayer, it can move mountains, raise the dead and apparently, close up the hole in the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.

Louisianans have now resorted to the Almighty to solve their man-made dilemma.  From CNN (hat/tip to GP):

While cleanup crews and technical teams continue efforts to stop crude gushing into the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana lawmakers are proposing a different approach: prayer.

State senators designated Sunday as a day for citizens to ask for God’s help dealing with the oil disaster.

“Thus far efforts made by mortals to try to solve the crisis have been to no avail,” state Sen. Robert Adley said in a statement released after last week’s unanimous vote for the day of prayer. “It is clearly time for a miracle for us.”

The resolution names Sunday as a statewide day of prayer in Louisiana and calls on people of all religions throughout the Gulf Coast “to pray for an end to this environmental emergency, sparing us all from the destruction of both culture and livelihood.”

The senate has more important things to do than focus on an actual course of action regarding this disaster, like, um, what was it?  Oh, yeah, making sure that women are assisted in their decision making regarding their own bodies.

Yep, that’s right.  God will fix it.  And if that should fail, well, we still have the Flying Spaghetti Monster to turn to (I’m sure I still have my pirate garb from the church camp-out, somewhere.)

The Flying Spaghetti Monster

Surely, this is the beginning of the end…

Last week I received a letter from the Heritage Foundation.  I placed it by my laptop with the intention of writing about it and then worked all weekend, along with Monday.  Today I received a letter from Congressman John Boehner (pronounced Boner in my book) on behalf of the NRCC.

From the Heritage Foundation was a “Tax Increase Impact Survey, Honeoye Falls, New York Area”.  It talks about the liberals who control the House erasing the historic tax cuts enacted by GW.  My answers will be kept strictly confidential.  From the Boehner man I found a “National Referendum on America’s Leadership”:

Dear Fellow American,

I’ll keep this short and sweet.

I think it’s time to end the reign of Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House - before she and President Obama do irreversible damage.

Um, somehow I think they’re barking up the wrong tree, but I’ll answer their surveys and trust(?) that they get counted and not circular filed.

I certainly hope that I’m not the only liberal who received these mailings.  I would love to have the results bite them right in the butt.

Anybody else the recipient?

Yesterday, Senator Schumer  vowed to fight the cuts in spending proposed by the Obama Administration for the development of Fuel Cell Technology.

“Between Honeoye Falls, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Rochester and Delphi, Rochester has become the place to be for fuel cell research and development in this country,” said Schumer. “With the right investments, we can use what we’ve developed here to wean our country off of foreign oil and grow a local economic engine – but without the right investments, it will be much more difficult. It is wrongheaded for the administration to cut funding for this incredibly promising technology, especially in light of what is happening in the Gulf, and I will fight with every ounce of strength I have to restore these cuts.”

I couldn’t agree more.

Although I am glad to find a new champion for our local fuel cell initiatives, I still miss the old one.

Go see ‘em!

A week after it started, the new annual tradition of the Rochester Jazz Fest is over. It drew in an estimated 162,000 people this year, some thirty-thousand more than last year.

The D&C wrapped up their nine-day coverage of the festival:

Organizers said this year’s estimated attendance is 162,000 - breaking last year’s record of 133,000 - with crowds of 30,000 Friday night and, with the rain holding off, an estimated 40,000 to 45,000 on Saturday night in the East End district.

[snip]

That’s John Nugent and Marc Iacona, festival co-producers. This year, they put together a schedule of more than 1,000 musicians from around the world in 11 club pass venues and three free outdoor stages. At the Eastman Theatre, headliners Gladys Knight, Keb’ Mo’, Herbie Hancock, John Pizzarelli and the Woodie Herman Orchestra, and Bernie Williams drew large crowds. Jeff Beck sold out one show and nearly sold out a second.

This all emphasizes just how much the jazz fest has re-placed Rochester on the artistic map. Talk about New York being a great state to live in, Rochester is equally a great city to live in (or  nearby).