What is up with all the good news?

From a local perspective, I'm pleasantly surprised by the on-going barrage of hopeful business news regarding the region.

• Paychex has great earnings news


• Finger Lakes Wines get the nod to ship directly


• Bausch and Lomb's future is so bright they have to wear... PureVision contact lenses


• Xerox is expanding in a place where life was once worth living
  (That's an obscure reference to Webster's old motto)


• Infotonics is making deals to further establish a high-tech corridor in our region

All these things, by themselves, seem small. They are. They're all merely footsteps in a long race, but they add up when you look at them in their entirety. Sometimes you hear so much from the crowds of people that love to point out that the area is in decline, that when you see information that indicates the opposite is true, you don't quite believe what you're seeing!

Well, the reports of Rochester's death have been greatly exaggerated.

And the negative attitude of these people stop at nothing to drown out the results of the hardwork of area leaders. This week, expect to read endless Letters to the Editor on how the relaunch of the Fast Ferry is already a disaster. Why do some people crave some schadenfreude at the expense of their hometown? What is the point? These people think the extent of government investment in the community should begin and end with filling in potholes. If they wanted to do something about it, they could always form a club of "Surly Rochesterians" and volunteer to help out. They could even get a little sign with their name on it.

I went off a little there, but I think you still get my initial point.

Something good is starting to happen here.