Roman Hokie's Nest

let's say i break into your house

2006-09-03T10:37:00.000-04:00

My bride got this email, below. I have not found it on Snopes to prove or disprove the content, but I find it a great analogy to the immigration question. I actually asked her to send it to me so I coud post here. Enjoy!

A lady wrote the best letter in the Editorials in ages!! It explains things better than all the baloney you hear on TV.

Recently large demonstrations have taken place across the country protesting the fact that Congress is finally addressing the issue of illegal immigration. Certain people are angry that the US might protect its own borders, might make it harder to sneak into this country and, once here, to stay indefinitely.

Let me see if I correctly understand the thinking behind these protests. Let's say I break into your house. Let's say that when you discover me in your house, you insist that I leave. But I say, "I've made all the beds and washed the dishes and did the laundry and swept the floors; I've done all the things you don't like to do. I'm hard-working and honest (except for when I broke into your house). According to the protesters, not only must you let me stay, you must add me to your family's insurance plan, educate my kids, and provide other benefits to me and to my family (my husband will do your yard work because he too is hard-working and honest, except for that breaking in part).

If you try to call the police or force me out, I will call my friends who will picket your house carrying signs that proclaim my right to be there. It's only fair, after all, because you have a nicer house than I do, and I'm just trying to better myself. I'm hard-working and honest, um, except for well, you know. And what a deal it is for me!! I live in your house, contributing only a fraction of the cost of my keep, and there is nothing you can do about it without being accused of selfishness, prejudice and being an anti-housebreaker. Oh yeah, and I want you to learn my language so you can communicate with me.

Why can't people see how ridiculous this is?! Only in America ....if you agree, pass it on (in English, please!). Share it if you see the value of it as a good simile. If not blow it off along with your future Social Security funds.

ann coulter on donnie deutsch

2006-08-31T21:40:00.000-04:00

Okay, I admit it. When I travel, I'll watch ANYTHING. It's how I learned about Mythbusters, Anderson Cooper 360, and (now) Ann Coulter. Ann is a tall, leggy, intelligent, conservative BLONDE. She's sharp as a tack and has been accused of spewing hatred in her sound bites and her political non-fiction.

She's all for (as is Bill O'Reilly) racial profiling. She has stated that women shouldn't vote (more men vote for Republicans than women do), and that women cannot fathom how money is earned. She's a Deadhead and literally went into a trancelike state when video footage of Jerry Garcia was played. She claimed to have not used illegal drugs, even during her younger years. (I thought the 2 were complementary).

Needless to say, it was a neat episode. I do not support many of her statements - I merely want to share with you, my reader (I hope I have more than one, really!). But I do share many of her political views. Those shared here do NOT reflect the Hokie's opinions, his spiritual (or even political) beliefs.

From Alabama, the land of football and Barbecue,
RH

iraqi dedication

2006-08-29T20:06:00.000-04:00

Have you heard the latest on our war in Iraq? I make no bones about it. I support our troops, and anyone who says they support our troops and also says we need to bring them home doesn't understand what support means. Support means to get behind and cheer on what they're doing. They're fighting in Iraq. If you don't think they should be fighting, you're not supporting them.

On the other hand, the news about the 100 or so Iraqi soldiers who failed to show up for duty? That burns me. Our fighting units are over there to secure the Iraqis' democracy and they can't even show up for their own freedom? I'm curious what their government's reaction is. Based on their reaction, I admit, my own sentiment may change.

For everyone who says we shouldn't be over there, remember this: We're America. It's what we do. We're not France. We're America. We, as a predominantly Christian nation, take care of those who need our help. It's who we are and what we do. What we've always done.

being a nuisance

2006-07-31T13:01:00.000-04:00

I remember a show several years ago, I think it was "The Commish", where there was a foreign diplomat who was causing trouble in a small Upstate New York town. The diplomat was arrested and, citing diplomatic immunity, was released from holding. The commisioner made it a point to do all in his power to get the diplomat in trouble. There was little he could do until the diplomat's home government renounced his status.

In the meantime, the commisioner had some staff member cull the old laws on things that the diplomat was doing that would have been (at some point in time) chargeable offenses. So, every time the diplomat performed the action that was chargeable, an officer would cite him, basically being a non-stalking ticket-writing nuisance to him. (later in the episode, the diplomat was removed from service and was arrested on US soil).

The point I'm trying to make is, why did Turning Stone get fined $50 for not upholding the state's smoking ban? Why not, daily, send in a member of law enforcement, or even several times throughout the day, to charge each offense $50? THEN, when someone actually executes the court's decision that the land is not sovereign, we total up the bill and impose the total bill on them. The county doesn't want the casino shut down... but we want our fair share. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of paying their taxes.

but do they pay taxes?

2006-07-28T12:13:00.000-04:00

My personalised Google page offered me a Slashdot link to a blurb of this story at the Wall Street Journal. My thoughts are varied after reading just the blurb. So, I would ask you to read just the blurb first. You can follow the SD link to the story or come back here - you decide.

I hope the 8 year old pays his taxes! Especially his Social Security and Medicare (we need more of this money in the system!). And, if he's on a 1099 as a freelancer, he better be paying it in DOUBLE.

If he makes $25/hr for 4 hours, can he offset that income by purchasing $100 of PC / console components and/or games? Can he use them as income tax deductions?

What kind of parents let their 8-year old play games rated "M" for Mature? Remember, the first "M" game for the Nintendo Gamecube was (I think), "Conker's Bad Fur Day". With good reason. I'm sure that Conker was "M" for the type of humor and situations that he got himself into. I'm guessing Halo's "M" is for the violence.

Of course, if you do a search on "Fatal1ty", you'll find a professional gamer... what is the world coming to?

the bachelor

2006-07-17T15:23:00.000-04:00

No, not the reality show! Me! Well, not entirely. And certainly not eligible. The ladies of the house will be leaving town to visit some friends later this week for 48 hours or so. That mean a few things will be happening:

Pizza
Warcraft III (Reign of Chaos) online
Jarhead

Normal guy experiences - okay, so they may be TEENAGE GUY THINGS. So what? It's still something that hasn't happened in my estrogen-filled (not -polluted, really) home in a long time. Okay... EVER!

Don't get me wrong. I will miss my bride and the princesses. But I won't be pining. My bride reminded me last night that I was alone when she was visiting her sister before the older chica was born. Ah, but we had a furry canine in the house to thwart off would-be attackers / robbers. So what if he was only 25 pounds! That's 25 pounds more than I'll have standing guard for me this week! Don't worry, as we used to tell the pooch, "No keggers!"

Maybe we'll get to go to Darien Lake in a few weeks for MY vacation. Now that it's finally hot enough!

pair of threes

2006-07-16T14:47:00.000-04:00

Okay, another year older. Another anniversary of Mom's labor pains come and gone. Another quiet celebration with family. My beloved and the chicks had dinner plans at home for me. Good - there's no need to go it. They decked out the table with linen tablecloth, china flatware and the inherited family glassware. I, admittedly, was not sure that 2 small children should participate in a meal with the special table items. They did their dad proud, really!

The gifts included some PS2 games from the older child - she loves to play with her dad. The younger HAD to get me something with the Yankees' logo. So, a matching pair of pint glasses are my new fave. And my beloved found me a Yankees' sport watch. No water-resistance; just pure, unadulterated logo of the Empire. Too bad, as the Emperor in SW said, "This will be the end of your pitiful rebellion!" The Yanks need another World Title.

So, I have one child who obviously wants to play more with me, and another child and wife who sacrificed a lot to support my love for the Yankees (yes, I married a Red Sox fan and have 2 more in the house that I love, too!). BTW, if you have not seen "Fever Pitch", it's a cute comedy (the Fallon / Barrymore version) that deserves your attention, even if baseball isn't 100% your cup of tea.

A few days later, a dear friend showed up to watch some TV. With him was a gift. Timing was critical as we're almost out, so he presented me with 2 more quarts of my favorite barbecue sauce of all time - Dreamland. Snapple's tagline is, "Made from the best stuff on earth." Funny, I've neve had Dreamland-flavored juice!

On a different note (okay, not so different since we're talking BBQ)... There's a visitor to my blog from Texas who knows barbecue. Check out their blog and what they're doing for God in Ecuador! And if you want to really bless them, send them some Dreamland (I bet they'll never ask for Meyer's BBQ again!).

sometimes I disagree, but...

2006-07-07T16:53:00.000-04:00

Not this time! I found another article, this time in the Rome Sentinel. Actually a column by Boston Globe featured columnist Ellen Goodman. Again, an article of why boys are so screwed up and how society tries to fix them.

There's a book by John Eldredge, a recently prominent author in Christian circles called Wild at Heart. It's a book that discusses what men truly long for in life. Amazingly, most people wonder (and still have not figured out) what it is that women want. Sigmund Freud died, failing to find the answer to that mystical question.

I'm not aware of any documented proof or polling that's been done to support this, but I believe there is a correlation between boys with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD, or the even more common ADHD - both (either now or then) buzzwords of the day) and an absence of active fathers in their homes. Ezzo and Buckman, in Baby Wise, contend that it has to do with feeding/sleeping/waking patterns in infants. However, there is documentation (somewhere!) supporting that there are 6 ritalin-calmed boys for each girl equally drugged. I have met far more boys with ADD / ADHD than girls, and the boys are all raised solely by Mom. It's because the girls are naturally suited for structured educational environments, dispite antiquity's educational structure outlawing girls.

There's a reason for this. Boys need role models on how to be boys, and (eventually) men. I'm not condemning any single mother. God bless the single mothers who bust their rear ends to provide for their kids (both sons and daughters) and to encourage them to be well-adjusted and contributing members of society. But men understand other men. Men long for adventure (see: hunting the dragon) and accomplishment (see: rescuing the damsel in distress, continuing Eldredge's example) - not structure and complacency.

Our schools and even our churches require structure and conformity. I'm not saying that we need to turn the tables as Jesus did. But I'm saying that, using appropriate methods, we can make schools and churches exciting for boys and men again.

My point is, between my prior post of multi-sonned families increasing odds of having a homosexual son (for physiological reasons, evidently) and this one, we just need to focus on the parenting. And we need to stop emasculating boys and let them be, well, BOYS.

mmmm.... chocolate.... NOT!

2006-07-07T08:06:00.000-04:00

You may already be familiar with my love for chocolate. I'm not talking Hershey or Nestle. I'm taking the stuff that we (as a nation) don't even import. Why should we? If people started liking the imported stuff, Hershey, M&M/Mars, and Nestle would all have a LOT more work to do to compete. Sure we have Dove and Symphony bars, and some stores actually carry Lindt, but it's so overpriced (and we're so busy buying gasoline...) that it's not a priority.

So, there's a small debate at work over whether white "chocolate" is considered "real". I use the 'bunny ears' quotes because I've found strong evidence on Wiki that supports my claim that the white stuff is fake. Of course, in the 2nd link, you'll find that most of American chocolate is fake. I dare you to put the "Made in America" label on THAT!

i tell you that story...

2006-07-06T13:23:00.000-04:00

You may have heard of Ron White, one of the gruesome foursome in the "Blue Collar Comedy Tour". That said, you may well recognize the title, along with "... to tell you this one." Well, THAT story is courtesy of Dan over at Upstream. THIS story is one I heard recently by a member of the ACLJ (NOT the ACLU) at a seminar. He's a lawyer with years of experience who had this story about a sharp defense attorney:

The defense counselor, in his closing remarks, informed them that they must find his client not guilty and that he knew his client was not guilty because in exactly 3 minutes, the real killer would walk through the doors to the courtroom. He continued his closing arguments as the clock ticked closer to the end of the 3 minutes. At precisely the right time, he looked at the back door as did the jury. He told them that they HAD to find his client not guilty since they looked at the door - an indication that he has presented reasponable doubt. He completed his case and the jury was sent to deliberate.

When they returned, they gave the verdict of guilty. The defender had been confident of his case - and the jurors looked at the doors expectantly. He was flabbergasted. When the jurors were polled, one juror commented that, while all the other jurors were looking at the doors, he was looking at the murderer. The killer didn't even look at the doors, since he knew he was guilty.

No real moral to the story. Just a humourous anecdote I felt like sharing. Have a great day and don't take life too seriously.

barbecue?!?

2006-07-05T10:56:00.000-04:00

Okay, so you may not know that my bride and I spent five years living in Texas, or that the chickadees are born Texans (should Texas ever decide to leave the union, we'll have the option of applying for citizenship as well!). But having spent 15% of my life thus far in the sovereign state of Texas has taught me a few things. One is that propane or charcoal cooking on the grill is NOT barbecuing - and I'll tell anyone who thinks otherwise what real barbecuing is. For Texans, it's about beef. For the gulf states, it's pork. Some like it wet; some like it dry. Jim Shahin, columnist for the American Way Magazine (distributed in the seatback compartments on American Airlines and American Eagle flights), has a great article on Barbecue. Unfortunately, the best I could find was a cached version. I read it while on a flight and thought, "Yeah, my yank friends might understand me better after this!"

Wiki has this to say about barbecue. Please note there is no regional variation of barbecue along the eastern seaboard north of Virginia. There's a reason for this. Cuz it's not barbecue.

So, if you're in Texas, I recommend Elgin, TX (on US 290 east of Austin). Stop at a place called Meyer's Smokehouse. And if you're in Alabama or Georgia, check out Dreamland. You will NOT be disappointed.

Finally, I hope everyone had a great Independance Day holiday. Whether you had pork or beef barbecue, or even the chicken variation, or you had to settle on burgers and hot dogs on the grill, be thankful you have the freedom to choose and the right to defend that freedom. God bless America!

fourth of july

2006-07-03T16:45:00.000-04:00

It's a special time of year, particularly in Rome, a city rich in American history, hosting Fort Stanwix as well as the grave of Francis Bellamy, writer of the Pledge of Allegiance. I remind you that our Flag is to be treated with dignity and respect. Click to learn more. And have a safe holiday!

explanation

2006-06-30T09:36:00.000-04:00

I know that there are a few blogs around Oneida County and the Mohawk Valley (and I enjoy reading them!) that pertain to local and state politics. I tend to not get too wrapped up in politics, but that doesn't mean that there aren't things I get passionate about. Some of my previous posts pertain to men's roles in their families and the improvement of the community through the family. I'm mentioned homeschooling, spending time with my bride and chickadees, and leading praise time in our church on Sundays...

I'm committed to marriages and families being raised right. Sure, I believe it's easier if both parents are commited and growing Christians. But I also believe that, even without that, as long as both parents are like-minded in their faith and actively living and presenting that faith to their kids, it's a step in the right direction.

This is NOT to say that anything else is less of a family. I believe that other permutations offer greater challenges, however. I referenced Kevin Lehman (noted Christian author and psychologist) in my prior post. Yes, he references Scripture. However, even if you don't 'buy into' the Bible, this stuff is real and paying attention to your wife and kids is where the rubber meets the road. Someone recently, I read that an average father spends time (REALLY spends time) with his kids in conversation about 37 seconds a day. Yet we believe we spend 15 - 20 minutes (on average).

I had the great fortune of grilling chicken (with Dreamland sauce) last night for dinner. Of course, my bride and the chickadees were there, as well as two young ladies from our church. The chiquitas adore these two youth, both sophomores at the high school in town, enough to invite them over. My older daughter wanted to get up from the table at 6 to watch cartoons and threw a small fit when I told her no, that she had guests. I let her DVR the show and return to the table for conversation and general silliness (picture two girls at 15 years old and 2 under the age of 6). No big deal, but the girls (all 4 of them - as well as my bride) will remember this meal for some time to come. This is what my beloved and I believe is important. Real faith. Real love extended outward. Real life.

twinkies... born that way?

2006-06-27T13:13:00.000-04:00

Do you remember the commercial where kids on a playground are asked how the cream filling is put inside Twinkies(R)? One kid says (as if the asker is stupid), "It's just BORN THAT WAY!" Many people feel the same way about homosexuality. In fact the London Times reports another interesting scientific "fact".

In a nutshell, the Times reports that each older brother that the subject individual has will increase the subject's chances of being born gay by 1/3. No idea on what the original chance is, without the siblings being brothers.

This "fact" is preposterous. While I have no scientific or polled proof, the chance of a male being homosexual goes down a LOT when he is affirmed by a father figure (a positive experience with his biological father is the best option, but we know that this is not always possible) that loves him unconditionally.

The propensity of a girl to become promiscuous and a male to be drawn toward homosexuality, I believe, is due to the absence of genuine male leadership in the home - showing the children what a truely loving and giving relationship can and should be. In his book, What a Difference a Daddy Makes, Kevin Lehman reminds us that, if fathers don't show their daughters affection (always appropriately, of course), someone else will - and probably QUITE inappropriately. I feel the same is true for sons.

Figure it this way. According to the article, having older sisters has no affect. That would make sense to me. If a couple has 3 daughters, then a son, more often than not, they will dote on the baby boy (even as he ages). He will receive love and affirmation. However, if the same couple has 4 boys and a girl (respectively), the girl will generally become the princess while the youngest boy will always be competing for his father's (and brothers' - often) attention.

To wrap it up, I firmly deny that the probability of a young man becoming homosexual has anything to do with the womb responding to 2 or more prior births of boys (can you say, "hogwash!"?), but rather what type of nurturing environment he experiences at home. People would much rather blame someone else for their decisions than accept their own burdens. We should really look at this from a cultural point of view and not biologically. Biology has nothing to do with it.

illegals aren't criminals?

2006-06-19T18:08:00.000-04:00

Okay... What am I missing here? We've had illegals quoted during the May 1st boycott and now a Pa town wants to crackdown on people who are here illegally. The part I'm failing to understand is how illegal immigrants are not criminals. If I drive without a license, I'm driving illegally - and I deserve a fine or other appropriate punishment. I would be deemed, even in a small sense (relative to other activity defined by our legal system as illegal) as a criminal. If I take money from a bank illegally, am I not a criminal?

If I live in a home and do not pay taxes, am I living there illegally? Yes. Am I a criminal? Certainly so. Leona Helmsley didn't pay taxes, stating, "Only the little people pay taxes." How is an illegal (who is not paying property taxes or income taxes, generally) entitled to this freedom while I, a natural-born bona-fide Citizen of the United States, am not? Because the illegal IS ENGAGED IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY - just by being here without proper credentials.

I have no problem with illegals making use of one of our tax-supported amenities in particular: PRISONS. Let's start with the members of that element who deny being criminals.

record collecting

2006-05-27T08:12:00.000-04:00

During my business travels, I rent a car at the airport. That rental, of course, has none of my preset radio stations, so I use the Scan function frequently. It seems as if every other trip, I end up finding a station where the guest (perhaps remotely) is one of those guys who knows everything there is to know about the value of old vinyl records. (remember those?)

Well, there doesn't seem to be much "valuable" information on the internet, so I've decided to take matters into my own hands. My bride looked up the 20 LPs on ebay yesterday and found little value in them. I suggested that people who use ebay for their record collecting are generally those who want to buy them at low cost - NOT the ones who want to sell for a collectible market value.

Since this blog gets picked up by Google fairly well, I'm resorting (probably in vain) to posting the listing here:

Streisand, Barbara - "A Christmas Album" - Columbia Records, no release date
Mathis, Johnny - "Give Me Your Love for Christmas" - Columbia Records, no release date
Flack, Roberta - "Killing Me Softly" - Atlantic Records, 1973
Blood, Sweat, and Tears - "3" - Columbia Records, no release date
Alpert, Herb and the Tijuana Brass - "Casino Royale" - A&M Records, no release date
Haggard, Merle - "The Best of the Best of..." - Capitol Records, 1972
Nelson, Willie - "Willie and Family: Live" - Columbia Records, 1978
Righteous Brothers - "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" - Philles Records (Phil Spector Productions), no release date
Moody Blues (With the London Festival Orchestra) - "Days of Future Passed" - Deram, 1967
Streisand / Kristofferson - "A Star is Born" - Columbia Records, 1976
Rogers, Kenny - self-titled (2nd album) - United Artists, 1976
Charles, Ray - "Greatest Hits" - ABC / Paramount Records, no release date
Streisand, Barbara - "The Barbara Streisand Album" - Columbia Records, 1963
Diamond, Neil - "Touching You Touching me" - Universal City / MCA, no release date
Moody Blues - "This is the Moody Blues" - Threshold Records, 1974
Cash, Johnny - "Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison" - Columbia Records, no release date
Sinatra, Frank - "That's Life" - Reprise Records, no date
Sinatra, Frank - "September of My Years" - Reprise Records, no date
Baez, Joan - self-titled debut - Vanguard Records, no date
Armstrong, Louis - "The Essential Louis Armstrong" - Verve, no date

So, if you're a collector of vinyl and you're interested in making a purchase, please leave a comment with your email address and which of the wax you're interested in.

Thanks!
Roman Hokie

the saga continues

2006-05-23T18:45:00.000-04:00

My bride received a phone call just a few days later from the store manager of Staples #0540 on West Erie Boulevard in Rome. The conversation between my beloved and Erin seemed to have gone well. Erin was the manager on duty during the Sunday visit my family made (we were shopping for a digital camera). She seemed very apologetic - as she should have been. Erin offered us 10% off on the demo unit - note: I don't buy demo units unless they are over 75% discounted - and, if I didn't want the demo unit, she'd work with me on another comparable model camera.

That said, she assured my wife that she would meet with me if I was able to make it to the store by 4pm. So, I did leave work a bit early to make it. Needless to say, I arrived at the store by 3:45 to find Erin already gone for the day. The Customer Service manager on duty merely reported, "Something came up."

I still was not interested in the camera that was on sale (the same that I was offered 10% off on) but would have been happy to try out another model with a suitable discount. 10% off a NIB ("new in box" in ebay lingo) would have been fine. The associate happily changed the batteries so I could try a different model. However, when it came to negotiating the deal, he still needed to call Erin at home. All this to find out that the only 'deal' being offered was the 10% off the display model.

When I told the associate that I might have purchased the camera NIB on Sunday vs. having to be offered the option of the demo model, I became even more peeved that the "while supplies last" really wasn't possible at all either because there was no supply even for the release of the Sunday ad.

Haven't been back and won't go back. Too bad Office Depot pulled out of Rome awhile ago...

"That was hard" (R)

2006-05-13T18:06:00.000-04:00

I'm not one to generally rant about customer service, but I guess this is the 2nd such posting... My apologies to you, Reader. No apologies to Staples(R). The image above was, of course, used without permission. Duh!

Last week's advertisement (5/7 - or 5/6 if you get the evening Sentinel) included a sale on a Kodak camera model Z740 for about 10% off and any camera over $129.99 also got a free (after rebates) photo printer. This camera was available, "While supplies last." Ha.

So, immediately after church, my bride and I (with our Little Chickadees) went to Staples to check out their digital cameras, both of us having a specific set of features in mind. I asked a sales clerk if someone could change one of the sets of batteries for me to check out a different camera. Well, evidently it's her job to see if she could help me. Unfortunately, for her, she actually thought we were just browsing. I'd say I hated to burst her bubble, but that wouldn't be entirely true either...

The clerk told us it was too hard to change the batteries with the security cables and there was only one manager present. I guess she didn't want to actually EARN her $6.15/hr. I explained that I didn't want to actually burden her and that we would be leaving. Unsurprisingly, she didn't try to stop us - I guess that would have been too much effort.

That evening, I registered a comment / complaint on their customer service website.

Stay tuned...

Marcus Vick: NO SALE, NO REFUND

2006-05-01T17:31:00.000-04:00

I try to consider myself a man of character in business and in my personal dealings. So, it's pleasing to me (as much as I paid out-of-state tuition) that my alma mater has done the right thing. Over the last few years, quarterback and integrity-adolescent Marcus Vick has been in a variety of trouble with the law as well as the team.

After being removed from the team as a result of his antics during post-season play, he merely commented (paraphrased) that it was time for the "next big thing, baby!" Well, when you've been playing (on and off) I-A ball for a few years, that next big thing is the big time - the NFL Draft.

I'm happy as a lark to say that the draft proved to be a non-event for Vick, whose older brother has bailed him out (pardon the pun) time and time again. Out of 7 rounds of drafting, he was not even a selection. 9 of the 13 Hokies declared for the draft and not one of them had the name "Vick".

So, thank you, Virginia Tech, and thank you, NFL owners for doing what's right - even if Terrell Owens is still appearing to be some thug's role model. At least Vick isn't adding to 'thugdom'.

a family friend

2006-04-19T08:01:00.000-04:00

It is with a heavy heart that I write this tribute to a dear family friend. We met him during a time in his life when he was "wandering the streets of El Paso," to quote my bride. The kids took an immediate liking to him - he was likable, after all. He reminded us, our older daughter particularly, of someone else we had known.

While in Texas, he enjoyed visiting the lake just on the outskirts of town. Fearful of the water, he enjoyed walking with us and playing on the water's edge.

He was a great travelling companion to me, assisting in the navigation of my trek from a point south of Dallas to upstate NY. We visited many small towns in rural America during the journey. Knowing he was sick, though, I was always cautious about getting too close to my friend.

He has always been a great comfort to my bride. A constant source of joy for her, yet his illness caused her much grief. Neither of us expected a lot of time with him. We were fortunate to have had him in our lives as long as we did.

The doctors have been a tremendous encouragement to us over the years, doing all they could to alleviate the symptoms of his condition as it worsened. We administered medication for the past several years, helping him to adhere to the strict diet set by the medical center staff.

The last few days and several episodes had taken a grave toll on our friend. After a long night of tending to him, my bride began to fear the worst. He was admitted to a local clinic for day observation yesterday, then a hospital a good drive away for the night. He had a few more episodes in the middle of the night and never saw morning. So long, little buddy. We'll miss you.

A Faithful Friend. Died 4/19/06.

nothing gringo on 1 may

2006-04-14T12:06:00.000-04:00

Okay, this is about one of the stupidest boycott's I've ever seen. I'm generally not so judgemental, but this is utterly ridiculous. CNN's article is quite informative. Basically, Mexican activists are being urged not to buy from American companies on May 1. This includes Wal-Mart, Dunkin Donuts, McDonald's, etc. My thought is this... What population WORKS at these businesses throughout Mexico? My money says it's Mexicans.

I have nothing against Mexicans. I like Mexicans. A dear Mexican friend is getting married in May and, sadly, I cannot attend due to the cost of air travel and hotel accommodations. Being an out-of-town guest is rather costly, even at a gringo (Caucasian) wedding.

Mexicans work hard and, generally, while there is a particular population of illegals, do so regardless of their immigration status. Many US businesses promulgate the influx of illegals in an effort to save on wages. (yet it's okay when we outsource a lot of our businesses to China and India.... different topic). They may have better lives here, but we need to make sure that they are taxed the same as anyone else, whether it's property, sales/use, or income.

Yes, we are America. We're supposed to be leaders. We're supposed to treat people better than the other guy treats them.

Pardon the tangent...Yet, we can gently remind them that by not supporting these American-owned businesses in Mexico, they are hurting themselves. Perhaps American-owned businesses should close shop for the day on the 1st, pulling the $$ from the pockets of their employees... When a business comes into town where we live, they promise jobs to the locals. I'm sure Wal-Mart and McDonald's did the same in Mexico.

So, again, it's about doing the right thing. If A) our businesses within US borders would operate LEGALLY and only hire employees who are inside our borders legally (perhaps those who didn't WANT to be here legally would return to their homelands (regardless of whence they come), B) we took the necessary steps to help people enter legally (lowering the tax burden on the general citizenship and legally-paying tax base), and c) we helped other nations with their economies (other than just giving them money like we did Russia in the mid 90s - for those of you who don't remember, they squandered all of it in less than a day)... we wouldn't be in this pickle we're in now.

The Bride's Birthday celebration

2006-04-03T16:07:00.000-04:00

Okay, the hiatus isn't officially over. But I have something worthwhile to write about. The Savoy. A nice restaurant on East Dominick Street in Rome, NY. While my bride and I have lived here for 18 months, this is the first time we've gone for dinner. I've gone a few times for lunch with business colleagues during their visits, but never dinner. And my bride's first time.

Being 100% her idea - to celebrate her birthday - we stopped by at 5:15 without a reservation. Yet, we were seated quickly. While most would complain at being put immediately behind the grand piano, we found it actually made the evening more enjoyable. The jazz pianist is a regular feature at 6pm on Friday and Saturday evenings and covered many of the jazz classics. "Satin Doll", "Somewhere, My Love", "The Entertainer", to name a few.

We kept our server busy with appetizer, multiple sodas (which do not include free refills, be forewarned...), main courses of Chicken Picatta and Tips Chianti (over fetuccine). And desserts... My beloved had chocolate mousse on a crushed and glazed pecan crust. I, as expected, had delicious chocolate cake requiring a few glasses of water to reduce the euphoric chocolate high.

We could easily tell there was a 'regular' crowd as Billy Joel sings about in his "Piano Man" tune. And, about halfway into our meal, there was not an open table in the main dining room. One of the owners (you've seen him on the Savoy television spots) made rounds, visiting the guests (my suspicion is the regulars), making sure that they were enjoying their experience, not merely their meals. We'd recommend this fine experience to anyone.

After leaving, we visited a good friend before he "killed things" in a video game he plays with his brother. He opened up his billiard room to us and supplied us with a variety of tunes on his iPod - attached to a tuner that is probably older than he is.

So, our small, but personal, celebration of my bride's birthday was enjoyable. I hope to be able to share many more with her.

shutting down

2006-03-31T11:28:00.000-05:00

This will be the last posting on Roman Hokie's Nest. It's had its ups and downs, but lately, I haven't been motivated to post. I don't know how people keep these things going for years. I guess I'm boring. And I'm certainly no joy to be around. Leave comments. Maybe someday when my outlook on things improves, I'll be ready to write more.

Bye.

singing to heaven

2006-03-20T17:50:00.000-05:00

Had an amazing experience this weekend! Of course, it came with the requisite preparation, but ten of us had the honor of leading the congregation - as we have in the past - in worship at our church. The music selection, the voicings, the instrumention, and the teamwork made it not feel like work so much as being a part of something bigger: communing with God.

We had the blessing that one of our dear friends was on Spring Break from her college. We had the additional blessing that my bride was feeling up to singing - she's been down and out for some time with what turned into a sinus infection. I praise God for the wonderful opportunities to honor Him in worship with many of my close friends, the closest being my bride.

PS: I'm still needing help with her birthday present. No, she's not yet 40. And she's still beautiful and my favorite thing to look at.

a failed experiment

2006-03-16T13:36:00.000-05:00

Evidently, either nobody's interested in any of yesterday's topics, or the webcrawlers are taking a bit of time. Regardless...

It's only a few week's before the bride's birthday. And as wacky as this sounds, perhaps nothing I could do might top last year's trek to Toronto to watch her beloved Red Sox (yes, she's a fish out of water here in upstate NY) during an opening series. At least I didn't have to haul her and the chiquitas to Fenway. So, I have no idea what to get or do for her.

Maybe she'll take me to see the TRUE patriot, Johnny Damon, for my birthday later this year. (I'm thinking "Fat Chance", actually)

Anyway, since I know she doesn't read my blog, I'd appreciate comments/suggestions on what to give her for her birthday. Thanks!

testing tags

2006-03-15T19:06:00.000-05:00

Yes, I realize that this makes two posts in the same day, but I am interested in performing a small experiment. If I were to post something on the following topics, and they get picked up on the webcrawlers, I want to see what kind of traffic that might generate.

President Bush
Islam Cartoon
Iraq War
NCAA March Madness
Final Four
World Baseball Classic
Emmys
Oscars
Tonys
Grammys
Jessica Simpson
Hillary Duff
Survivor
Exile Island

I'm turning off comments in order to protect my regular readers from reading inappropriate language.

Have a great evening.

customer service?

2006-03-15T11:08:00.000-05:00

As I frequently travel for business, I get a lot of use from the NYS Thruway System. Since I travel predominantly by air, that road takes me most of the way from Rome to Syracuse's Hancock International Airport. To make life easier, I have made use of the handy-dandy EZ-Pass. This little block of plastic (with innards of a transponder card/chip)that adorns my windshield saves me and my employer 10% on the Thruway (more on the trip through the PA Pike, the Delaware Bridges and the Maryland Tunnels) and saves me oodles of time!

I bet you didn't know that the same little device can pay airport parking at the 3 major airports near New York City (LaGuardia, Kennedy, and Newark), as well as the one in Albany. It's called EZ-Pass Plus. As of this posting, there is no EZ-Pass Plus at Hancock. I've tried several times to work with the customer service department at EZ-Pass to determine if this is planned or not. Please read bottom-up as the correspondence (in blue) is in revese chronological order.

***** Please do not respond directly to this e-mail. *****

Dear E-ZPass Customer,
E-ZPass Plus pays for parking at JFK, LWG, Albany, and Newark Airports.
Enrollment is automatic with a credit card account. Bills under $20 are
deducted from your account. More than $20 is taken directly from your credit
card.

Thank you for using E-ZPass.

New Jersey E-ZPass Customer Service Center
P.O. Box 52003
Newark, NJ 07101-8203
www.ezpassnj.com
1-888-AUTO-TOLL (288-6865)

-------------------------
Original Message:

You have GOT to be kidding... this does NOT answer my question. Lord knows
how many weeks ago I posed this...

Dear E-ZPass Customer,

To view the plans that we offer please visit the web site, and click on e-z
pass
information
plan description.
---------------------

I'm curious if there are any plans in place for EZ-Pass Plus to be implemented
in any of the upstate NY airports that are near the Thruway? In particular,
Syracuse's Hancock International?

The beef I have with EZ-Pass customer service is that it's not. It's not service. It's answering the question they THINK I asked with a canned response, twice now.

adventures in homeschooling

2006-03-07T15:22:00.000-05:00

Okay, I'm back. Or, more importantly, SHE's back. That's right. My bride has returned from her trek to a Women's retreat just south of Dallas. Seems she had an encouraging time, despite the fact that her plans rarely fit into God's schedule and we (the kids and I) spent a lot of time praying for the very ill infant daughter (and wife) of a friend of mine.

It was quite the experience, from the moment we dropped "Mom" off at the airport - the day AFTER I got back into town from business travel, myself! The girls and I played several games, including Cranium's "Hullabaloo", Monopoly, Jr. and several rounds of "Go, Veggie" - the VeggieTales version of "Go, Fish" that our girls have so aptly named it. Of course, we also have, "Go Noah" which pairs up the male and female of several species from aboard the historical ark.

Thursday was the Big Day. Speech therapy, story time at the library, ballet and swim 'n' gym. Fortunately, ballet and swim 'n' gym were in the same building. Still, you cannot imagine how long it takes to get 2 little girls showered, dried, and keep them from seeing the little boys in the family locker room at the "Y". I have a deeper respect and appreciation for my beloved bride. Yet perhaps, even a concern of INSANITY for keeping the schedule she keeps. I'll keep my 7:30 - 4 schedule, thanks.

I'm not saying that I didn't enjoy my time with the girls. Saturday evening, they generally get a bath in preparation of our time in church on Sunday. This week, they wanted their hair curled. (Yes, I'm admitting this on the Internet. Fortunately, I'm claiming copyright on this post so you cannot disseminate it without my express permission anyway). So, yes, we curled it. BIG time...

They got lots of nice compliments from their friends and friends' parents. But what even pleased me more was that they wanted to surprise me by cleaning up all the toys in their play room without 1) being asked, and 2) adult help or supervision. This was an amazing step for them - one, for which, I am rather proud.

Monday was catch-up day and, more importantly, pick Mom up at the airport. If you'll notice, I didn't write much about homeschooling. There's a good reason for that - one that I won't comment on.

cheatin' (by Sarah Evans, country songstress)

2006-03-01T17:00:00.000-05:00

I realize that I'm probably a rarity in that I am a Yankee who loves country music. Although people parody country music as being about dogs dying, hunting, drinking, and being some of the most patriotic music known to man (country music is, after all, rooted in the American west), there is some truth to this one that stirs my heart. Click on the title above for the lyrics.

I have a deep passion for Jesus Christ. Since he and the Father have a deep desire to see marriages work, I have a desire to see marriages work. Christ, himself, said that a man reaps what he sows. This depressing, yet appropriate, song by Sarah Evans portrays just that.

I heard a story in the last few days of a colleague that broke my heart. The man has 4 children and left them and his wife - of how many years, I don't know - for another woman. It pains me to no end the number of people I am aware of, let alone PERSONAL FRIENDS, who have gone through this ordeal. While several are male, not all are. Not all marriages ended due to infidelity. But, most left a boatload of carnage on the sidelines. Some children, some extended families, many mutual friends who are at a constant loss for words.

This is why I lead a men's Bible study / fellowship time. I'm not bestowing 100% of the responsibility of marital success on the men. I am acknowledging that God does 100% of the work in successful marriages of Christians and relaying (from God, Himself) 100% of the spiritual leaderships of the marriage to the men. We MUST allow Him to work in our marriages and help us succeed. We MUST call on Him regularly for guidance, first in our personal relationship with the Son, and then for our relationship with our brides. And for the non-Christians - there is something to be said for His incomprehensible grace and why He chooses some to succeed and others to fail.

Most importantly, He wants all to come to know Him through Jesus. He also wants marriages to succeed. That's what I want, too - starting with mine. I'm thankful for my bride.

the torino games?

2006-02-22T11:16:00.000-05:00

Okay, so many people use blogs to air their grievances. Let's talk a bit about pop culture. The Winter Olympics. Perhaps one of the smallest television viewing audiences in history. Pathetic. And no, I don't care to watch. Even "American Idol" in its 5th season, or something like that, can take on a 'television event' that happens only once every 4 years.

Speaking of the Winter Games, where exactly are they being held? Okay, Italy. Yes, that's right. But WHERE in Italy? In Italy, they call the city "Torino". This city near the capital of the Roman Catholic Church (Italy's not that big) is one of the world's hotbeds for cultic and occult activity. That's beside the point. Most of the English-speaking world refers to the city as TURIN. That's right. NBC, in an effort to gain viewership, has decided to bow down to Europe and adopt their spellings and pronunciations.

Remember when the olympics were in Montreal? Did we call it Mon-ray-AL? Doubtful. (And we LIKE the Canadians, unlike the general American opinion of the bullies across the Big Pond.)

There was a cool op-ed piece within the last week in the Rome Sentinel regarding the Turin Games being called the Torino Games. Let's see... that would mean we live in Roma, New York - as the editor of the RS stated.

However, as the Remsen luger returned from the olympics, the same paper referred to Torino AND Turin in the same edition. Aren't editors supposed to be pushing consistancy in their format?

This posting is not intended as a slight against anyone of Italian descent, nor of anyone who represented the United States in the 2006 Winter Olympics.

emissions testing

2006-02-20T14:35:00.000-05:00

Not to sound like Jerry Seinfed, but, "What's up with that? That sounds like some sort of NASA experiment or something. Now you're telling me it's for my CAR? THAT's CRAZY!"

Emissions testing. Yet another tax on New Yorkers and a ploy to lob mounds of government on top of us. If you've been in the state for over a few years, and even if you haven't, you're already painfully aware of what this new environmental program (need I say more...) has done to your automotive safety inspection process.

1) No longer are you able to drive into a licensed engine service station for your inspection. This now requires an appointment much like that root canal at your dentist's office - but THIS takes longer. Roughly 75 - 90 minutes.

2) That same root canal is covered by insurance. The inspection's price is $21, regardless of where you live. (This means that the Downstaters get a far better deal!). And, no, Triple-A's discount doesn't apply either.

3) Emissions testing computers connect to Albany (think "Big Brother") to communicate the results of your testing and provide the appropriate pass / fail decal to clutter up your windshield. I think they are using cans and yarn to pass the signal - yes, this is where the delay rears its ugly head.

4) The old decal is broken up into 12 months, so you know when to get your inspection. In an effort to keep drivers from all waiting until the end of the month, all months are broken into beginning, middle, and end - days 1 to 10, 11 to 20, and 21 to 31. This means, for instance that my truck's inspection in 2007 needs to be completed between February 11 and February 20th. (no, i will not be inspecting my vehicle early; NY gets enough of my money). Better make my appointment right after Christmas.

Evidently, part of the software in Albany will notice when an inspection is not completed in time and Big Brother will send you a nasty-gram requiring it be completed within 24 hours (remember that appointment?) or you will be summoned to court.

"...o'er the land of the free..." Phooey.

twice in one day

2006-02-17T15:37:00.000-05:00

You know, I just now got to thinking... It's pretty good that I can post such a disliked personal opinion on the internet for all the world to see with little fear of retribution and my local newspaper, the Rome Sentinel would have included my home address, potentially putting me and my beloved family in harm's way. How's that for the local media?

By the way, if harm WERE to come to me as a result of the Sentinel ("Oneida County's ONLY Daily Newspaper" - yet they aren't committed to working hard all night like other newspapers do, to have news on your doorstep in the morning) publishing my personal information would they legally be held as accomplices?

And can they legally be held responsible for using my US Mail box for their deliveries? Isn't that mail tampering? How about bringing it to my door (especially when it's below 10 degrees and I don't want to walk out to the box to get it)?

Just a thought.

federal land trust

2006-02-17T14:16:00.000-05:00

There are a lot of people in my and nearby communities who are concerned with the Oneidas (who are, for some strange reason, referred to as "The Nation", but now we're getting syntactical with regard to the history of the Iroquois Confederacy) getting the federal government to grant them the status of 'federal land trust' on their lands. What this would mean for the Oneidas is that this land would be recognized by the US of A as sovereign and (most importantly - what the whole battle is about) free from the assessment and collection of property taxes. What this would mean for the communities of Madison and Oneida Counties is the same thing - free from the assessment and collection of property taxes.

On one hand, the Oneidas have had an interesting history in the state of New York. They feel that these lands are their own and they should remain sovereign. They own over 17,000 acres around the area, some of it on tribal (Nation) land and some within the towns proper. They feel that, due to various treaties, that any land they owned or own should be considered sovereign tribal lands and thus non-taxed. The us vs. them mentality can be read on their website. Putting their lands into federal trust will remove the chance of EVER taxing them for the many public services the counties of Madison and Oneida provide them.

On the other hand, the communities of the entire state are all concerned with the raising of taxes; this is not limited to just Oneida and Madison. But we focus on the local governments. The Oneidas are brining in MILLIONS of dollars a year that can and should certainly go to paying the burden for the schools, fire and police services, and other public services that they are able to use. Fact is, they pay NOTHING. Their website portrays them as a BUSINESS, not of friendly neighbors just wanting to do the right thing and get along. Their chief proponent is the President and CEO. That's a corporation folks. Subject to paying state and local sales taxes on the goods and services they purchase - including their new indoor golf range.

Many argue that the bigger businesses in the area get tax-based incentives in return for the bringing in of new jobs to the area. Why shouldn't the Oneidas? Well, for one, incentives have a time limit. After this period of time, the business needs to start paying the taxes that anyone else pays. The Oneidas are looking to NEVER be held responsible for paying for the public goods and services they use. Wal-Mart, Walgreens, and any other major employer moving into the community will have to eventually pay taxes - sometimes it's after three years, sometimes ten. It all depends on what was negotiated before they broke ground on their facilities. (we read in the Rome Sentinel recently about how Walgreens was opening up across James St. (Rome) and the city was to make some concessions. No different!)

The employees (see "blind followers") have been duped to believe that they would all lose their jobs should the Oneidas have to close down their monolith (I mean "CASINO"). Come on. This thing brings in MILLIONS a year! Their payroll, if we conservatively estimate 4500 full-time employees at $10 an hour, including benefits, comes to $121.7M a year. Plus all the capital equipment in the place. Surely, paying some taxes will not close the place down. It is truly a cash cow for them.

In a nutshell, it's time that EVERYONE start doing the right thing, like we were taught to do as children.

nothing to get excited about

2006-02-10T07:36:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I don't know who takes the 'official' temperature in Rome, nor do I care. What I care about is my vehicle telling me it's below zero degrees outside on my way to the office.

A few gripes about that.

1) When we tell people from outside of the area that we're in the negatives, several say, "Okay, but what about WITHOUT the wind chill?" What does that mean? They think we're exaggerating? Well, we're not.

2) Others say, "That SOUNDS cold!" (these people have never been to Rome and probably won't be visiting us anytime soon, ESPECIALLY in the middle of winter, regardless of how mild it's been)

3) Some people get excited about it being cold. Check out this guy's blog. Don't get me wrong, some people are made for the cold (and the cold for some people). But I'm about the sun, sandy beaches, tall waves, and having my wife spray all kinds of aloe and benzocaine on my charred and blistered back. Okay, that last part doesn't excite me either, but I enjoy the sun and sandy beach that caused it.

Side Note: A childhood friend of mine has a blog that, for the most part, praises the Twin Tiers (Elmira/Corning and vicinity) for having four distinct seasons. I WILL admit that the winter DOES bring out many photo ops too. This small sample is called "Frosted Leaves":

homeschool anxiety

2006-02-08T09:38:00.000-05:00

Several people know that my kids are homeschooled. Several people know, based on reading Fault Lines and Rome, NY Sucks (2 local blogs that regularly report where the policies and programs in the Rome/Utica area fall short), WHY we are homeschooling our kids.

Anyway, my bride will be leaving us for nearly a week to visit a friend in Dallas, with whom she'll be attending a Women's Conference. We're all (even the kids) a bit nervous about it. Mom/teacher will be gone and Dad/principal will be spending his first stint in the basement classroom.

Lately, I've been putting in some evenings and weekend time and, quite frankly, despite being in the middle of winter in Central New York, I'm ready to burn some vacation time.

I don't ski. Falling down a hill with sticks attached to my feet just doesn't sound appealing - and I'm certainly not spending hundreds of dollars for the sticks and the permission (lift tickets) to do so on someone's mountain. I've tried it a few times, and trust me, I never 'got' it.

So, I'll probably cover (what I can) in the classroom with them, and we'll include Field Trips to the airport and the Museum of Science and Technology in Syracuse. They'll get plenty of pasta all week (just kidding, Mom) and we'll spend a lot of time reading.

Many of my readers (do I have many readers?!?) will think 'what a waste of a vacation'. Well, vacation, to me, is spending time with those closest to you. Frankly, with what's been published on the sites above about what the state/county is doing, it seems that it's harder and harder to KEEP them close to me. Now's my chance. And it's worth a lot more than a week of vacation.

Priceless.

creating uncommon teamwork

2006-01-27T15:05:00.000-05:00

Yes, I know it's my 2nd posting today, but it's been a few weeks since I've posted on Managers Training sessions. You can be patient and get over it. Besides, my earlier posting today pertained to my trying to help a fellow blogger. I only hope he still swings on by once in a while to see it!

So, today's training (and last week's that I missed due to company travel) was about Creating Uncommon Teamwork. Leading teams with varied personalities and motivations to accomplish the same goal with a high degree of success.

The challenge I have is being considered part of the team. I'm not, as I pointed out today, an "operations kind of guy." It's not one of my strengths. But my job requires me to know about day-to-day business operations and improve upon the process. Sometimes that means asking people to do things they don't want to do. One of those things is to come in Super Bowl Sunday and work 4 - 6 hours that morning. We're upgrading our distribution center's sortation controller as the old one is old enough that the major parts are obsolete.

Operations folks and engineers are funny people when put together. One group trusts technology and change and the other trusts the status quo. I'm not saying that they don't want more productivity/efficiency - no, not at all! I'm saying that they have a tougher time accepting that change in the form of technological advancement won't cause major breakdowns or malfunctions. To their credit, they overcome insurmountable obstacles EVERY DAY to work smarter.

Unfortunately, they are often the last in the loop on a major project, yet playing a major part during the implementation phase. This is what often causes major stress to them, and to the engineers who have been a part all along. If I understand correctly, this is the way it's been for decades. To have them in the loop from the get-go would be even more troublesome as there really isn't a need-to-know how something works as much as that it DOES work.

We cannot do this implementation without my colleagues at the distribution center. I understand that they will be carrying the brunt of the labor for the test run. I also understand that they are much more effective at knowing their abilities (not limitations!) than I am. Fortunately, I know that I have surrounded myself with successful leaders who can make magic happen.

finding a job

2006-01-27T12:25:00.000-05:00

There's a certain member of my geographical and Blogger community whom I would like to help. He knows who he is. Unfortunately, his email is not linked to his blogger account so there is no other way to reach him. (and I can only assume from his postings that he is indeed male).

So, please click on the link to my email in my profile. While my company may not have any suitable opportunities for you (I don't know what discipline of engineering your background is), I have networked throughout the years and may be able to help you find something suitable.

Best to you!
Roman Hokie

more musings on "daniel"

2006-01-25T12:34:00.000-05:00

I've recently taken an interest into the debate over why Book of Daniel (starring Aidan Quinn) was cancelled by NBC. There seem to be 2 main camps. Those who think it's the fault of the American Family Association (a grassroots organization of predominantly conservative religious fundamentalists) and non-profit Focus on The Family, a mainstream Christian organization founded by Christian author and counselor Dr. James Dobson. The other camp are those who realize that ratings and advertising dollars have put the show on jumptheshark.com, a website that tracks precisely when and why a show falls into the abyss of 'terminal hiatus'. (BTW, has Book of Daniel had enough episodes to qualify for mention on JTS? Doubt it.)

Anyway, as someone on the NBC Boards (a forum / Bulletin Board for discussion) said, any press is good press when you're trying to hype up a television show. Nonetheless, there were just plain not enough viewers to keep it on the air. People complained that Desperate Housewives was thriving and it is (in this humble man's opinion) worse than Daniel. I think that DH has the good fortune of a great timeslot, especially for people who are sick of the Law and Order franchise running primetime television. Book had the Friday evening, nothing supporting it, kiss of death. Look at what happened to Joan of Arcadia when JAG ended its run.

So, it was not the religious right that killed off Daniel. It was poor planning/programming on the part of the network executives at NBC. Makes one wonder whatever happened to the programming genius, Brandon Tartikoff?

book of daniel: a controversy of responses

2006-01-24T12:26:00.000-05:00

I really considered not posting this, but decided to anyway after watching a few episodes of the show. (GASP - a Born-Again Christian dared WATCH this heathen filth?!?!?) Yes, I watched it, and while I agree that the material is not fit for family entertainment - certainly not the 8pm Friday evening slot! - I am concerned with the controversy (itself) that the religious right has created.

What we (believers in the Son of God) are challenged with today is a world that sees us as naive, sheltered, and not in-tune with what's going on in the world around us. Let's face it. Most of our non-Christian peers see us as having rose-colored glasses and having the belief that life IS the proverbial bowl of cherries. This discussion has come up a few times in the men's group that I attend regularly. Many Christians are guilty of portraying our faith in this way. You've all heard the "Name it and Claim it" gospel (I'm not sure WHAT book of Scripture THAT's in). God will heal every ailment, get us out of debt, bless us with a perfect marriage, and give us perfectly-behaved children, as long as we trust Him and ask Him to do so.

Rubbish, hogwash, and lies. This is NOT the God of Scripture. And we are not above having to deal with the exact same things that Daniel Webster (and family) has to deal with. Life isn't easy for us as Christians, and it's certainly not going to be perfect. We're never promised this. While Daniel's family problems ARE a bit extreme, any of them could happen to us, if we're no on the lookout. Here's a list:

1) He pops Vicodin like it's candy (and the bishop even asks him for some, just in case!)
2) His wife believes that anyone is required to have top shelf liquor for their guests (especially her, at any time of day)
3) His oldest son is gay
4) His middle child (son) is having sex with a board member's daughter
5) His daughter is dealing marijuana and later finds a friend to pirate the software she's trying to earn money for.
6) Daniel's mother has rare lucid periods as a result of Alzheimers's, so his father (a retired bishop) find solace in the arms of a female bishop.
7) Daniel's wife's brother in law has embezzled the funds for a new school and is murdered.
8) Daniel's sister in law is in a lesbian relationship with the woman that her husband invited over to 'spice up their marriage'.

None of us is immune to sin, ladies and gentlemen. Fortunately, Daniel does regularly talk to Jesus, whom he sees in the flesh or by visions. Take this as a reminder to do the same, not that you will see Jesus in the flesh.

The fact that the world sees a professing believer who is in a world of hurt and that he really has little control over the circumstances around him should be an eye-opener to us all. Where BoD falls short is how Daniel responsds to all the events going on around him. Remember, it's not about what's going on in our lives; it's about how we respond to the saving grace of Jesus Christ and let Him work through us to help us grow in our faith in Him through the circumstances.

leadership and morality

2006-01-13T15:34:00.000-05:00

This morning during my employer's "Managers Training" session we discussed that a good leader is a good leader regardless of morality. This caused us to consider that Ghengis Khan, Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great and many 'infamous' world leaders were good leaders. Many in the class agreed with this. That, yea, even Bill Clinton was a good leader.

Appreciating the job I have, I bit my tongue. But I believe it all depends on the definition of a 'good leader'. We talked about our CEO who took on the task of keeping our company from bankruptcy (unlike K-Mart, which has quadrupled its stock price since it came out of bankruptcy status). While our stock price is the lowest it's ever been, we are paying off our debts and our bills. A true testament to morality.

We esteem our CEO for making that decision, rather than forcing a boatload of layoffs as is often required when filing. I think the reason we look to this leader is because many have their jobs - and have even taken promotions since then. Would we hold her in such high regard if she had taken the easy way out? I doubt it. She could have taken us to bankruptcy court and the easy road. An effective business strategy for many. But, that's not what she did. She took the high road. And the company is on the road to recovery.

Thus, the difference between an effective leader and a good one - a good leader is inherently effective. Effective leadership + morals = good leadership. The best example of this is Jesus, the Son of God and Savior of Men

To Romehater with compassion

2006-01-12T15:23:00.000-05:00

Recently, I've been reading the posts of another Rome, NYer who has spent many more years here than I have. He's had his share of hard times, but I cannot understand why he is so bent on knocking the community (yes, the entire community) down. His site is "Rome NY Sucks" and he's very negative about the area.

I've taken the occasional liberty of commenting on his posts - some of which I agree with, many of which I do not. One of my favorite Christian writers/theologians writes (paraphrased), "90% of life is what happens to you; the other 10% is how you respond to it."

I've come to believe this, throughout a challenging few years myself. It's no use complaining about the things we cannot change. We can only better ourselves. The hard part is to do it without stepping on those around us. Let me tell you a story:

There is a colleague of mine in the next office over who is an incredibly sweet lady. Yet, without my knowing all the reasons, her job is being done away with. She is not being fired and she is probably getting a severence package.

Upon finding out she was losing her job, she could take one of two positions, "It's all THEIR fault," or "Why did this happen? What could I have done differently?" I tend to be on the latter fence, myself. She's on the former.

Another story: 2 years ago, I interviewed with another company (before my current employer) and was assured by the headhunter that I was a shoe-in for the position. I had also interviewed with another company with a not-so-great geography that I wasn't interested in any longer. The headhunter continued to assure me that I was highly in the running. (that IS his job)

When I didn't get the job, I was not heartbroken as I expected to be. I was not crushed. I had a wife who loved me (still does), daughters who adore me (they still do!) and a God who is in complete and total control. I was 100% qualified for the position, charmed the socks off those who would be my coworkers, and didn't get the position. The ONLY reason I didn't get it was because MY God - the God of the Universe - had something better for me. That something was (and is) Rome, NY. So, a year later, making things happen (or watching them happen has He had foreseen) in other parts of the country, He brought me to Rome.

No, it's not the perfect place. Only Heaven is that. But it's where He has dropped me, my wife, my daughters and our fluffy little dog. So, I love it here.

they don't make shows like this any more...

2006-01-09T10:29:00.000-05:00

As you may know, my wife and I have, in the course of the past year, befriended a handful of young single folk, all of whom are dating someone else, but for various reasons, they tolerate spending some time with us on occasion. Those occasions usually revolve around food, football, Sports Night, movies on the widescreen, or any combination of the previous.

So, one evening, our friend Randy (engaged to Tonyia, who lives out of state) came over to watch movies. Yet, there was nothing in particular on the PPV of interest and we had seen (ad nauseum) most of what we had in the cabinet. My lovely bride of 8 years dares to suggest, "How about Sports Night? We haven't seen that since we got it."

It was, sadly, true. We had not seen this 2-season series since we were fortunate enough to have gotten it for Christmas a few years ago. It was cutting edge, witty, and dry all at the same time. The show is now a classic and has several positive reviews on Amazon.com as well.

Responding to Randy's question, "What IS Sports Night?" was our simultaneous response, "It's a sitcom and you'll love it!". Well, knowing Randy like we do, we were right.

Since then, we've had Tim, Christy, and Joel (Tim's brother from Carnegie Mellon) over to the house and introduced them to the series. In less than a week, Christy and Randy have completed 8 episodes (22 minutes each) and Tim will have to catch up - but I'm sure that's not a problem.

Locally Published

2005-12-29T13:22:00.000-05:00

This letter was originally published 12/27/05 in the Rome (NY) Sentinel, our evening newspaper. I retain the rights to it.

My family and I moved to the Rome area for a career opportunity last fall and believe that Rome (and surrounding areas) is a great place to raise a family. I also work in the city of Rome and travel from my home to work on a mostly daily basis, regardless of how much snow is on the ground. I write mostly as (on Dec. 7) I left for work at 5:15 a.m. to find my neighborhood still unplowed. My non-upstate-ready vehicle slid into a snowbank in my neighborhood. Out of concern for the 2-7 a.m. ordinance (Lee) that I have my vehicle off the road, my wife and I called my automobile club to help dig my vehicle out of the snowbank. We succeeded in getting it back into the driveway just before 7 a.m., no plow to be seen.
I understand that there is a perceived lower need for the plowing of snow-covered roads should those in charge deem the roads unsafe for the travel of school-aged children to their respective schools. I would ask, however, those in charge of our road conditions take note that the taxpayers (not the children, mind you) still need to earn their incomes to pay for the plowing. Further, I would remind them that the construction of the school buses nowadays actually makes them safer to be on snowy and icy roads than passenger cars. So, when schools are canceled or delayed, please remember that it is important to keep the roads clear. Our lives depend on it.

What's this Christmas Stuff About, Anyway?

2005-12-25T16:36:00.000-05:00

A quiet little Christmas Eve service at Rome Alliance Church last night, joined with my wife and daughters, was a more meaningful experience than we 'could' have had. We enjoyed it, perhaps more than we expected. We have gained several dear friends since our last Christmas here in Rome. Why, last year, I'm not sure we knew anyone in the church other than the youth pastor and his family, the Bogoniewskis. He's a hip, cool, guy and he is also responsible for Acts of Light, a mostly-youth run drama ministry that has impacted so many lives, including ours.

Then there's Pastor Mike and Diana. They asked us to carry out the honored task of lighting the JESUS candle at the center of the advent lights. With some help from our daughters, no less. Diana: great scripting. Thanks for including the kiddos.

We knew almost nobody else last Christmas. Yet, by working at it, and making ourselves available to God's work, we are now members of the small church, holding various lay-ministry responsibilities. We enjoy it there and are blessed with good friends.

I write this after a colleague of mine on Friday told me of one of our shifts working overtime and there being some grumbling about it. "Doesn't anyone realize what today is? It's Christmas Eve Eve..." Funny, I never heard of Christmas Eve Eve nor do I consider it of any importance. I think it's a symptom of the commercialism of the Christmas holiday. More presents, more days off, more food, more of everything BUT the One there should be more of... HIM.