The first time I remember seeing “James T. Kirk”.

From the New York Times: Upstate New York House Race Is Too Close to Call.

Democrat Scott Murphy, a venture capitalist from Missouri, versus Republican Assemblyman James N. Tedisco, the minority leader of the state Assembly [House] in the 20^th district which is heavily Republican.

That Murphy leads by 65 votes in a special election is a good indicator of how far the GOP has fallen in New York. Tedisco should have crushed him. This should have been a double-digit win. Tedisco could still win when the absentees are counted, but he should have a lead at this point that would have made the absentee ballots irrelevant.

Kirsten E. Gillibrand, who vacated this seat to take Hillary Clinton’s Senate seat, was a Democrat, but she and her family were lifelong residents and politically active in the area. She won a squeaker in 2006, and comfortably in 2008. She was an exception for the district and definitely a Blue Dog. This is a Republican district, and with a heavy hitter and local pol like Tedisco running, it was the GOP’s to lose.

A couple more inches of rain, a tornado or two, the frogs are singing, and there’s mold developing on the mildew on the toadstools. Only one more day to go, and then it will be clear for a couple of days.

The beaches are covered with an invasion of the Portuguese man-of-war [stinging jellyfish] and the surf is too choppy for safe swimming. I’m sure the kids on Spring Break are thrilled. There hasn’t been enough sun for a beige, much less a tan. I don’t think pasty white prune skin from the rain was what they had in mind when they decided to head for the beach.

They say that if March comes in like a lion it will go out like a lamb. This year it came and left like a flounder.

The Local Puppy Trainer reports that Val-P man sues city; Okaloosa takes first step: [Val-P is the local abbreviation for Valparaiso, used because it is hard to spell.]

Valparaiso filed a new lawsuit against the Air Force on Monday opposing the Record of Decision to bring 59 F-35 jets to Eglin. The lawsuit includes a preliminary injunction that could halt construction on the training school campus and a permanent injunction to keep the Air Force from completing its plans. Valparaiso also has asked for the Air Force to pay for damages caused to the city and attorney fees.

While the Valparaiso city commissioners are suing the Air Force, a local Valparaiso resident is suing the city commissioners for violating of the “Sunshine Law” [open meetings law in Florida], and the Okaloosa county commission has unanimously voted to begin to the process to sue the city after the latest move. Apparently the local stimulus package involves full employment for trial lawyers.

Instead of suing, the county should see if the Air Force would be amenable to building a concrete noise barrier between Valparaiso and the base. The Department of Homeland Security could use the project as a test bed for border fence designs.