RochesterWriters

Once again I find myself confused about Rochester City Council and what they are saying.   I see that City Council wants “public input” on who will be on the ballot if Cuomo and Duffy win the race to be the next Gov and Lt Gov.

I made up this song on Lake, near Madison, this morning, while cycling through the wet streets of Albany. I don’t know why I sing so much when I’m riding. Usually I do so with this almost cheesy, shower voice, like a big, slow Sinatra. Anyway.

You – can pass me – if you want to
You – can just go – around
I don’t – appreciate – being followed
So please, just safely go around

Editor's Note: I touched on some building friction between local wineries and local governments a few weeks ago, but rather than write more about it myself, I asked Steve Bate, director of the Long Island Wine Council to write an op-ed for the site. He submitted this to a local paper instead, but I still think it's worth publishing here."It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."

Demagogues manipulate the crowd by creating artificial circles around “us” and them” and then project all the “us” problems onto “them.” My family got ensnared in this scapegoating process. My grandfather and his brother, Reuben, split Russian occupied Poland before WWI. My grandfather told me that he saw the pogroms in Russia and knew he had to get out. As the Nazi’s consolidated power in the 30′s the Yiddish papers had a section where American Jews could ask Jews in Europe  about the fate of their relatives.

Poet Alan Casline rides the sardine bike in Belfast, Maine. Photo by Mark O’Brien.
Click for Super Sardine Size!

On Monday I posed the question here on Mustard Street, "Ground Zero Mosque:   Is Direct Action the Answer?"

Digging these tweed messenger bags from SF. Eighty bucks? Seems like a steal to me.