Comment Archives
Re: “"American Idol" 2013: Top 3 Perform”
I am really ready for this to all come to an end. I loved the home videos for Candice and Kree. They seemed so genuine and heartfelt and they didn't have to say how much they lvoed their home as it was obvious. I just dont; quite buy Angie and all the joyful clapping and references to "Boston Strong".
The songs. Far too many bad choices. I actually liked Angie this week for the first time ever as she was singing more so than shrieking and then she pulled out the piano. Now I do agree that she looks very comfortable on it and is an unsual formula for a woman etc but I truly find her just screeching and no musicality to it. She does look like Miley Cyrus before she got her gorgeous new do.
Kree...not good song choices at all but her voice generally sounded good. And. Her. Story. (sob) Love her in so many ways and I can see her getting lots of votes.
Candice: Absolutely phenomenal. Her voice, her background, her sincerity, her attitude. Loved tough old Nikki getting all worked up talking about her Candice is an inspiration as a woman.
I have no idea how this is going to play out. I am rooting for Candice.
Re: “Blacks, poverty, and the future of Rochester”
I think steve has had the most accurate and nuanced view of this issue, so far.
Some of the earlier commenters who have decried teenage parenting also have some reasonable points, even if the hyperbole is occasionally masking their points.
The problem we're looking at here is a cyclical, self-perpetuating one that isn't "caused" by race, but has a strong racial component due to historical factors.
Poor, impoverished, barely literate high-school dropouts are more likely to raise the same, no matter what color their skin is. When people of this type are concentrated due to housing costs and/or inability to take advantage of opportunities due to ignorance or ignorance-based fear, they become a visible class, and if there's some way to distinguish them physically, that "reason" will be blamed as the cause.
It is absolutely true that people throughout history have raised themselves up by their bootstraps. It is equally true that those people are exceptional, and not the rule. (i.e. it's possible, but not probable.) Education is the most democratic method of helping the lower class rise from poverty, but education also requires certain skills and habits that may not be well-supported at home.
But... at the root of the issue is that even when someone gets an education, they need a job to be able to take advantage of that education. There is a decided lack of jobs available in the Rochester area for people who have graduated high school, but not been able to go to college. To wit: there is no reason for many young people to put forth the effort to get a diploma, when there's nothing to do with that diploma. Many of the service industry jobs they can get, they can get with a GED or less.
Rochester needs more lower-tech industrial-level jobs where people with only a high school diploma can make a living wage. As much as I, as an educator, want everyone to get the best and most education possible, I recognize that not everyone is college material. Those people deserve to be able to make a living as well. It should not require stitching together 3 jobs' worth of income to be able to make ends meet.
How do we get those lower tech, higher paying jobs (higher than Wegmans or Wal-mart, anyway) here? That's an answer I don't have.
Re: “Hemlock-Canadice plan not clear enough on drilling”
Over a century ago, in its wisdom and foresight the City of Rochester cleared the shorelines of Canadice and Hemlock Lakes to ensure a pristine and untainted source of drinking water for its residents. That tradition must now be defended to protect these lakes from unscrupulous exploitation by carpetbagger hydrofrackers that would use these lakes for their private sewer. Remember Love Canal? It is still leaching toxins into our Niagara River and Lake Ontario ‘drinking water’.
Re: “Blacks, poverty, and the future of Rochester”
A mixture of racism and good ideas in these comments so far. I consider the issue one of economics as much as race. Someone like Obama or Janet Lomax or Bill Johnson or Wade Norwood or Adam McFadden are all college-educated, upper middle-class and upper-class professionals. With higher education comes access to professional jobs, which provide a higher level of income. A white student in a poor school district (Gates, Chili, Albion) without college-educated parents is more likely to work in a low-wage, low-skilled job than an African-American who goes to SOTA who's parents are a lawyer and a college professor. Why? Because the SOTA student has been raised in a culture of education and affluency, with clear role models to emulate. Institutional racism plays a role but not as much as certain activists and nay-sayers would like. Until we create easy access, high-paying jobs and give kids (white and black) good role models, this cycle will continue unabated and everyone will continue complaining unabated.
Re: “Blacks, poverty, and the future of Rochester”
@Justice: LOL. Far from "ignoring the problem," we've dumped trillions upon trillions of taxpayer dollars into all kinds of schemes we were promised would eradicate the problem. We spend more now than in the Golden Age of the so-called War on Poverty. So enough already about taxpayer money. And nobody's placing "all the blame" on illegitimate parents. But moral revival is a necessary, even if not sufficient, part of the solution, and one that the original article ignored.
@MJN: You're darn right, we object to government schools — the same ones that produce the abysmal results this article describes — diverting scarce time and resources to ideological campaigns promoting sexual filth and immorality. But that's neither here nor there. Places where such policies have been in place for years have essentially the same or higher rates of illegitimacy.
Re: “"American Idol" 2013: Top 3 Perform”
This article picked up on something about Angie that I have been noticing for a while. I think she is talented, but the video they showed of Angie illustrated it all the more. I found Candice's and Kree's home coming videos somewhat touching, but I sendsed a certain non-genuine nature of Angie's video. It seemed borderline forced. Something you might see from a beauty pageant contestant who is doing a mandatory video, while knowing full well that Kree's video was going to be really touching.
If I had to go with the final 2 solely on performances tonight, I would say it would be Candice and Angie. If I was going on who seemed genuine in the video packages, it would be Candice and Kree.
Lastly, it must be said that I was absolutely loving how emotional Nicki got following seeing the videos of Candice and Kree. Candice and Kree's videos were touching, but Nicki's emotional response to those videos really amplified the genuine nature of their videos. The same can be said of Keith's reaction there for a minute as well.
Re: “"American Idol" 2013: Top 3 Perform”
Agree. Candice should be in the final. Her voice is like honey. Flawless.
Re: “The Hemlock-Canadice balancing act”
Another odd statement from an elected official. OK, so it is nice Mayor Richards beleive no fracking should take place in the Hemlock-Canadice State Forest, but what is up with the idea that high levels of protection could interfere with with routine maintenance?
I just do not trust Mayor Richards or anyone else who wants to leave some loose ends in the management plan to allow for maintenance. It sounds to me many people want some doors (loopholes) left open for something (development??) to happen in the future.
Everyone who attended the Springwater public meeting was fully aware of the need for maintencance and things like erosion protection, but all this can be put in writing....JUST PUT IT IN WRITING right along side all the very clear and specific protections the public is demanding. It is really simple, but pliticians do not like simple.
Re: “Blacks, poverty, and the future of Rochester”
The findings in this article are nothing new. However, I want to express an opinion about the continuous misinterpretation of statistical data as representing the cause of the problem at hand - poverty. I quote the superintendant of the city school district that states:
"African American students are not meeting any of the state standards in the areas of English, math, science or social studies." Neither, in fact, are Hispanic children. Only white children are.
this gap in academic achievement is strongly associated with race, ethnicity, social-economic background, and family and neighborhood stability," which are having a major, negative effect on children's achievement in school.
In statistical analysis - correlation of variables does not prove causation. In other words, just because there are a number of factors that are all associated with a certain outcome - poverty or poor academic performance, does not imply that the outcome is caused by all of those factors. So, for those that look at the implications that this is a racial or ethnicity driven problem, may be wrong. All of the factors indicated - "race, ethnicity, social-economic background, and family and neighborhood stability" are (I suspect) correlated with each other. They don't all help explain the cause.
Re: “Blacks, poverty, and the future of Rochester”
Why do I suspect that those who are crying the loudest about the problem of out-of-wedlock children and the number of young parents who are unable to support children of their own are also the ones who were first in line to whine that the city schools’ plan to address the problem in part by handing out condoms was immoral and would only promote sexual congress and excess?
Re: “Blacks, poverty, and the future of Rochester”
Putting all the blame on blacks and Hispanics for immorality and the continuing cycle of poverty rather than on our society for ignoring the problem while wasting our money to address theproblem on corporate welfare, senseless wars of choice, and tax breaks for the wealthy is both racist and classist.
Re: “Wages only part of 'frackonomics' picture”
Oh, okay. The point is that it's a big economic boost in regions that need it, and the only reasons to procrastinate any longer are superstition, hysteria, and mindless ideology.
Re: “School board and Vargas have last-minute budget fight”
The situation that happened at last night's meeting is why I call for a budget that outlines EVERY DOLLAR SPENT BY RCSD. I call for a community effort that will help develop and manager the districts budget. It's not enough for the Board members to question it now (especially in the heat of a democratic endorsement process). These questions should have been raised and reviewed all along with the help of a Community Budget Review Committee; a year-round effort by Board, community members and RCSD staff to find the best programs and best budget possible to give our children the best chance at a quality education in Rochester.
It's implausible that data is not available- it is there but you have not looked at it or recorded it because the Board has never before pressed for you to actually account for the money that is spent. "Small" contracts (under $35K) that are unregulated, and go unaccounted for, yet continue to take dollars away from the classrooms are unnecessary. How can we continue to allow money to be spent money without Board approval, yet there are cuts to programs that are deemed important like summer reading. (Center for Youth budget was slashed over $750K in the proposed budget- yet will still work without the district's support to help prevent "summer slide".)
Our Board members talk about not having "three to four years to turn the corner"... we have given you over 12 years Ms. Powell, and suddenly you're unsatisfied now?! I don't have one more MINUTE to see another dollar wasted on failing students, and failing programs.
Re: “"RuPaul's Drag Race" Season 5 Reunion: The winner revealed!”
I think Jinkx is the clear winner here. She is very talented and will only get better with time. But Jinkx took the high road and seemed much more secure in herself as well as a maturity level above anyone else. She endured a lot of bullying not only by Roxxxy but also by Coco and Detox. Roxxxy just never wowed me. If I went to see a Drag Show and she was headlining I,d be quited bored. Alaska I thought really came on towards the end . Ill Poundcake was hysterical and her one line jabs off camera were hilarious. My only issue with Alaska is that she she didn't break from "Rolodex" sooner. Detox was the biggest disappointment of the season. Detoxes look in the reunion shattered anything she wore during the season . By the way..where was Detox this season? She clearly has it all but for whatever reason didn't bring it this season. Alyssa Edwards is the break out star this season by far. This girl doesn't even know how funny she is . She totally outshined Coco who just couldn't let go of a ridiculous pageant contest(really?) I thought season 5 was just as good as any of the seasons to be honest. Each had its only flavor and my only regret is I wish Ru would go back to the season reunion where the girls all talk candidly as opposed to this almost scripted insincere awkward finale. If she wants to do a live finale please don't deprive the viewers of the queens talking about the season honestly .if you need to add another show please do because I have been left these last 2 seasons wanting answers to my own questions. I miss when the girls talk honestly . Otherwise I'm already waiting for season 6!!!!!!
Re: “City should turn down University Ave. project”
Serious? Another "NO" vote for a project which can help this area and the city of Rochester in one fell swoop? This has GOT to be the most calcified mentality toward development that I've ever seen in the many cities in which I've lived. I live in NOTA. I own rental property in NOTA. And I welcome this development! I live here because I like urban density. I like people on the street. I like businesses nearby that will only come and thrive if there are people there to purchase their goods. As for my rentals, the more peope who want to live in this area the easier it is for me to rent mine. How any business in the area (see Craft Company No6 opposition) can possibly argue against this is beyond me.
And, if you've not noticed, the City of Rochester is cash starved. How can turning a parcel from a tax exempt one to one paying taxes be anything but a good thing? I support Eastman House, but stop your whiny baby tactics and claims as to "your viewshed". It is NOT your viewshed, and if you had wanted to preserve or develop it differently you've had a number of years in which to do so. You negotiated in bad form, and now you've lost it. That's the private marketplace. Deal.
Re: “Owners of Craft Company No. 6 speak out against University Ave. project”
I live in this neighborhood and I own rental property in this neighborhood. I'm happy that this is being proposed and I hope it is built. Urban areasa are only urban areas if you have density. And much like a gravitational field, the more mass you have the more gets attracted to your location. How a business owner (ie. Craft Company No6) can arge so against their own self interest is beyond me. I don't know how they stay in business now with the little traffic I see there. I would think they'd be begging for this development.
Re: “Blacks, poverty, and the future of Rochester”
BTW, just what does Prof. Obama's election have to do with the price of tea? Does anybody actually think he has something in common with the population that is the subject of this report? For all intents he is as much the beneficiary of white privilege as anyone else. On the other hand, many of the report's findings could apply to similarly situated people of other hues.
Re: “Blacks, poverty, and the future of Rochester”
I 4th these notions!! How come nobody EVER brings up the biggest issue - having kids before you're ready. Stopping that would fix many of the other problems that come up. And it's not like getting pregnant is some disease you catch, there are easy and well-documented ways to prevent it. Of course, if your parent(s) didn't choose to use these methods, it might not be immediately obvious to you. It all starts with the PARENTS!!!
Re: “Blacks, poverty, and the future of Rochester”
“He who dares not offend cannot be honest”
-Thomas Paine