Welcome! Welcome to Greater Rochester's newest and boldest news, opinion, and information website, The Smugtown Beacon. Read More ... Christopher J. Wilmot

The First Annual Smugtown Beacon Award Nominees September 8, 2008   Rochester, NY   -   Whom, what, where, are the most smug, insufferable, arrogant __? Welcome to the First Annual Smugtown Beacon Awards.  In this stage, we are simply looking for nominees.  What follows are merely suggestions that may aid in your choice for smug nominees.  Agree, disagree, make up your own categories; whatever floats your boat.  My cohort and co-publisher Aaron Wicks will, after a fashion, present his nominees.  Toward the end of the year, we will compile your thoughts, assertions, and pet peeves, and tally the results in this most subjective, yet hopefully enjoyable of pursuits.  So, what sticks in your craw?  What about Greater Rochester strikes you as insufferably smug?  And don't feel you must limit yourself to Rochester.  Remember, every town is a smugtown, at some level.  To participate and proffer your thoughts and nominees, please click here to cast your votes. Please read, and perhaps enjoy, our first ever list of Smugtown Beacon nominees.  Read More ... Christopher J. Wilmot

A Story With Itty Bitty Fetal Legs September 2, 2008 -- A news story that has staying power is said to have "legs." Is that true of a story whose central character is a five-month old fetus?  Read More ... Aaron E. Wicks

Clinton Supporters: America's Own Worst Enemy August 23, 2008 -- There is a plague upon our land. In the 1960's it was "hippies," in the 1970's, it was "stagflation" and "disco". Then came the 1980's and America's Public Enemy #1: the "yuppie". Now, after a long period of tranquility that was shattered by the terrorist attacks of 9/11/2001, a new scourge has emerged from the ashes: the angry, irascible, narcissistic supporter of the Clinton Clan. Like the irredentist minions of an exiled royal family, supporters cling to a dream forever deferred as their country has moved irretrievably into the future -- without them.  Read More ... Aaron E. Wicks

Soviet Georgia on My Mind August 20, 2008   Rochester, NY   -   Depending on whom one believes, Russian military forces rolled into the former Soviet Republic of Georgia to defend and protect Russian 'Peace Keepers', allegedly under attack by Georgian National forces.  More evidence of Putin and his puppet, figurehead president trying to rebuild a Soviet nostalgic glory that is now long dead.  But perhaps the most interesting aspect of this story is the hypocrisy of American foreign policy, and the Bush administration's laughable--and dangerous--stick poking in Putin's eye over the tragic events in Georgia, and our transparent attempts to disguise and distract the international community from our own expansionist, 'Yankee Go Home' globe trotting. Read More ... Christopher J. Wilmot

Stranger Danger? Kids are at Greatest Risk at Home August 15, 2008   Rochester, NY  -   Despite the sad and horrific recent disappearance of the two year old girl Caylee Anthony of Florida, as well as British toddler Madeline McCann, the three year old abducted and missing since 2007 from a resort in Portugal, unfounded hysteria regarding the rare phenomenon of stranger danger dominates American news.  The fact is that children are in far greater danger of physical, sexual, and psychological harm at home, than they are out in the big, bad, world, where many mothers fear that around every corner lurks a potential pedophile.  The real world statistics paint a very different--and safer--picture, of life in America. Read More ... By Christopher J. Wilmot

Sen. Thomas Duane -- the Sheldon Silver of the Senate? August 10, 2008 -- While candidates talk about Albany reform, a quiet coup is in the making. Sen. Thomas Duane (29th SD) could be plotting a takeover of the Democratic caucus -- a coup that could make him one of the "Three Men in a Room" that have consistently used their wisdom in the best interests of all New Yorkers (or at least those who want higher taxes and a stagnant upstate economy).  Read More ... Aaron E. Wicks

Next on A&E... Rochester's Murder Victims August 11, 2008 With crime down in Rochester, Chief David Moore has decided to celebrate by splashing the lurid details of Rochester's violent crimes on national television. Hey, Rochester, you're pride is showing!  Read More ... Aaron E. Wicks

Rochester, NY News and Politics

Battle for the NYS Senate: Dollinger v. Robach August 4, 2008 -- In an effort to dig deeper than the horserace coverage of elections in the traditional media, the Smugtown Beacon presents a periodic series of stories analyzing the historic battle for control of the New York State Senate. In this article, the 56th Senate District contest is profiled. The campaign pits incumbent Republican Senator Joe Robach against challenger Rick Dollinger.  Read More ... Aaron E. Wicks

Battle for the NYS Senate: Alesi v. Nachbar August 7, 2008 -- In this article (the second of a series of three), the 55th Senate District contest is profiled. The campaign pits incumbent Republican Senator Jim Alesi against challenger David Nachbar. Although Alesi represents a district that is more Republican-leaning than Robach's 56th SD, his relatively low-profile makes Democrats see an opportunity for a gain. David Nachbar's deep pockets also help...  Read More ... Aaron E. Wicks

Local Election Season Guarantee: No Candidates Will Touch 'Third Rail' Issues July 18, 2008   Rochester, NY  -   What's important in local and state governance this election season?  Don't ask any of the candidates.  The proverbial 'third rail' of political discourse in Monroe County and Albany is the ugly, messy, and politically unspeakable issue of governmental downsizing, and the painful yet necessary lay-offs needed to accomplish this all important task.  How else to cut taxes, and make Western New York livable again for young adults? Read More ... By Christopher J. Wilmot

Golisano Shows His Hand July 8, 2008 Rochester billionaire Tom Golisano is looking to cashier Albany politicians who obstruct reform. Will the Paychex founder bankroll an Albany revolution or will he simply purchase the State Senate and relocate it to Buffalo? Read More ... Aaron E. Wicks

The Rochester Children's Zone: Queen Mother to the Rescue  July 6, 2008 Over two years into the planning process and after tens of thousands of volunteer man-hours from residents and other community members, the Rochester Children's Zone is still struggling to get off the ground. Is the newest Executive Director  likely to turn the ship around or is she just another Smugtown Captain, piloting a fast ferry into oblivion? Read More ... Aaron E. Wicks

National Politics

The Implosion of the Republican Party  August 7, 2008    Phoenix, AZ  -   In 1994, newly elected Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich proclaimed that he and his Republican fellows would return their party to its former glory as the Party of Abraham Lincoln!  Fat chance.  Since the Republicans took control of both houses in January of 1995, the 'party of fiscal responsibility' has busted budgets, and wiped out former President Clinton's (as well as Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin & Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan's) federal budget surplus.   The Reagan Revolution (whatever that really was) is dead, and the Republicans have been on the wrong side of the civil rights movement since its modern inception in the 1950's.  So what's left for the right? Read More ... By Christopher J. Wilmot

Photo by Brendel Feds and Foreclosure: Preserving the Common Good or Rewarding a Lack of Common Sense? July 28, 2008 Having just passed a multi-billion dollar mortgage bailout that benefits homeowners on the brink of foreclosure and two huge mortgage holding corporations, Congress poses an interesting election year question: are these bailouts designed to to be simply an election-year show of force or are they really sound fiscal policy? Read More ... Aaron E. Wicks

Nine Justices, Two Dissents, One Opinion July 2, 2008 As liberals fret the recent Supreme Court decision regarding the second amendment, the real question is not what impact this will have on gun ownership, but what safeguards do a free people need in a modern state? More simply, are guns enough to protect free people from authoritarian government? Read More ... Aaron E. Wicks

Global News and Opinion

The Al Qaeda Nightmare Scenario July 22, 2008 Be grateful Al Qaeda is so obsessed with defeating America in a mideast battlefield: if they were clever they could do far more damage to the West -- and likely get the Armaggedon showdown they so cherish. Read More ... Aaron E. Wicks

Reader Responds: What Are We Fighting For? July 15, 2008 -- A Smugtown Beacon reader responds to an earlier article, "One, Two, Three... What Are We Fighting For?"  Read More ... Aaron E. Wicks

Local and National Media Analysis

Op-Ed Briefs: Mother on Trial for Myspace "Murder"?; Western NY has Highest Property Taxes in US; City Hall Silent on Donner's New Amerk's Role. July 11, 2008   Rochester, NY  -    On October 16, 2006, 13 year old Megan Meier committed suicide.  While it is true she had bouts with depression and ADHD, federal charges have been leveled against the mother of Megan's former best friend, as well as an indictment brought against MySpace.com, and its owner, Fox Interactive Media-News Corp.  So, who's responsible for Megan's death?  Nine out of the ten most expensive counties in the U.S. in which to reside, based on property taxes as a percentage of home value, are in N.Y. State, and chiefly Western N.Y.  The Rochester Americans have signed a lease with the City and the Blue Cross Arena to play the 2008-09 season on their traditional home ice.  However, what happened to the City's insistence that Steve Donner not have any managerial role under the new lease?  Did City Hall cave for fear Mayor Duffy would be blamed for killing the entire Amerks deal with the Canadian cigarette magnate, and his deal with the AHL? Read More ... By Christopher J. Wilmot

Society and Culture

The Price of Not Getting Involved July 1, 2008   Rochester, NY   -    Two recent events, both occurring in the friendly environs of the New York - New England area, highlight the growing inhumanity of our nation's citizenry--toward each other, in times of dire need. Read More ... By Christopher J. Wilmot

Film Reviews

Classic Film Review: "Bully" (2001) June 16, 2008   Rochester, NY   -   Photographer-turned-filmmaker Larry Clark electrified indie audiences in 2001 with the ultra-controversial and provocative Bully.  This cinematic non-fiction stunner is not for the faint of heart. Read More ... By Christopher J. Wilmot