Ninety-seven years ago this Tuesday, RMS Titanic sank beneath the waves to the bottom of the Atlantic. Governor David Paterson seems determined to avoid a similar fate.

Just this week, the governor, who has been the target of withering criticism from friend and foe alike - if we assume arguendo that people care enough to be foes, as a Dem VIP put it to me - has been unusually active. The big-ticket item is the governor's announcement that he would push for marriage equality in the legislature (there's a majority for civil rights in the Assembly, not in the Senate). The bill is to be introduced on Thursday.

But that's not all. Here are some headlines from his press office (no link, as via email):

GOVERNOR PATERSON INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO ALLOW UNEMPLOYED WORKERS TO RECEIVE EXTENDED FEDERAL BENEFITS (April 13th)

GOVERNOR PATERSON ANNOUNCES $38 MILLION FOR DRINKING WATER AND SEWAGE TREATMENT PROJECTS (April 13th)

GOVERNOR PATERSON ANNOUNCES $60 MILLION IN NEW FUNDING FOR HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS (April 9th)

GOVERNOR PATERSON, SENATOR SCHUMER, CONGRESSWOMAN SLAUGHTER AND CONGRESSMAN HIGGINS ANNOUNCE $72 MILLION IN ECONOMIC RECOVERY FUNDING FOR WESTERN NEW YORK INFRASTRUCTURE

Say what you will, but these initiatives are important. If he keeps up this schedule - instead of, say, wasting everyone's time by proposing to tax soda - David Paterson may have a fighting chance yet.