Chris Carosa

Is it OK to Wish “Merry Christmas” in Public?

By Chris Carosa on December 22, 2010

In a PC mad nation, there was once a rush to purge “Merry Christmas” from the lexicon of polite society, or at least local school districts. For fear of offending offensive people (let’s face it, anyone offending by a joyous and peaceful religious sentiment ought to be considered at a minimum intolerant or, in a less PC vein, offensive), “Christmas” vacations became Winter breaks and “Easter” vacations became Spring break. All the while, taking the Lord’s name in vein fell under the embrace of “free speech.”

But that’s for the extremist element we all read about but rarely encounter in real life. What about us common folk who simply wanted to do the right thing? We didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but we wanted to still practice our religion.

Well, I think I accidentally stumbled on an answer to the question “Is it OK to wish Continue Reading “Is it OK to Wish “Merry Christmas” in Public?”

Posted in Boy Scouts Tagged Christmas, Cubscout

Mega-Mall Mania

By Chris Carosa on December 16, 2010

[This Commentary originally appeared in the December 7, 1989 issue of The Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel.]

Those picture postcards really have it. The small chateau with the roof thickened by a foot of snow. The gentle rolling hills of white. The soft pillar of smoke rising mildly from the brick chimney. The Charlie Brown size snowflakes feathering down from the pleasantly gray sky. The scene conjures all the familial imagery of a country Christmas.

A far cry from the maddening malls of suburban shopping centers. These hubs of hysteria make even the slushy city glisten with tradition. Somehow, when they invented Continue Reading “Mega-Mall Mania”

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged Christmas, Honeoye Falls, Mendon, philosophy, shopping

Extreme Centrism

By Chris Carosa on December 14, 2010

Warning: If you’re a Republican or Democrat you probably won’t like this essay. If you’re a self-described “centrist” you’ll downright hate it.

On December 13, 2010, hoping to offer a “third way,” a group (ironically) labeling itself the “No Labels” held its inaugural convention in New York City. Call it the blue-blooded elitists’ Cocktail Party response to the red-blooded Cletus-ts’ Tea Party. Unlike the out-from-nowhere built-from-the-group-up political force of 2010, however, this group appears willing to use the power of publicity to build an organization from the top-down (at least according to the New York Times).

Unfortunately, after featuring an “A” list of political names, the initially favorable publicity fell away when it was discovered the “No Labels” party apparently not only Continue Reading “Extreme Centrism”

Posted in Gray Matter Musings Tagged Centrism, philosophy, politics, Tea Party

The Morning the Music Died

By Chris Carosa on December 9, 2010

[This Commentary originally appeared in the December 14, 1989 issue of The Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel. I decided, for the purposes of this blog, to switch this so it better coincides with the actual anniversary; hence, the beginning parenthetical note that occurred in the original publication might seem a little strange until you read next week’s post.]

(C Note: OK, OK, so I’m a week late. I just thought it would be better to give our local merchants a plug as early in the Christmas season as possible.)

Chronologically, I was too young to grow up with the Beatles. Still, a very young aunt and several teenage cousins provided the avenue for me and my brother to experience at least the fringe of Beatlemania.

Not that we fully understood everything. Let me share with you just one example. During one family party in the summer of 1967, a cousin spirited me away to her room, warning me not to tell my mother what she was about to show me. She proceeded to Continue Reading “The Morning the Music Died”

Posted in Memoir of a Real Life, The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged Beatles, Dream, John Lennon, Yale

“Hey! You’re Not Supposed to Do That!”

By Chris Carosa on December 7, 2010

Screamed the older woman to the group of middle schoolers playing football in the middle of the astroturfed field house. The field house was the University of Rochester’s Goergen Athletic Center. The tweens – both boys and girls – were members of various Lego robotics teams. The woman was a coach for one of the teams. Apparently, her concern involved something about the potential of a football crashing into someone’s fragile plastic robot – a potential never realized despite the footballers ignoring her plea.

But, think about the setting before you off-handedly flip the page.

Earlier in the day, at the morning coaches meeting, one of the coaches labeled the Continue Reading ““Hey! You’re Not Supposed to Do That!””

Posted in It's a Nerd's World Tagged football, GearFreeze, robotics

Europe and Cultural Maturity

By Chris Carosa on December 2, 2010

[This Commentary originally appeared in the November 30, 1989 issue of The Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel.]

When sociologists look into a civilization, they often discover certain underlying consistencies. These attitudes, actions and customs all fall under the heading of “culture.” While culture can be invented – through folklore and mythology – time typically nurtures and creates the mores of a society.

America has its own richly refined experience. The cowboy, fighter pilot and even Superman represent that which has been imbued into and upon every citizen of these United States. Marginally irreverent, but always gallant, our country has historically taken up the challenge few others can Continue Reading “Europe and Cultural Maturity”

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged America, American Dream, Europe, Foriegn Policy, philosophy

The Effective Use of Nonverbal Communication as Related to the Game of Chess

By Chris Carosa on November 30, 2010

Does this three-decade-old High School Thesis Reveal How to Get Something from Nothing?

Jan. 13, 1978
Psychology
Mrs. MJ Jepson

During the past few years, the study of nonverbal communication, or body language, has come into being. Basically, nonverbal communication is the translating of bodily movements into behavioral characteristics.¹ The technical name for this science is kinesics, as coined by Dr. Ray Birdwhistell, the main progenitor of the scientific analysis of nonverbal behavior.² In order to decipher body language, one must take it Continue Reading “The Effective Use of Nonverbal Communication as Related to the Game of Chess”

Posted in Memoir of a Real Life Tagged chess, free lunch, psychology

Thanksgiving Thinking

By Chris Carosa on November 25, 2010

[This Commentary originally appeared in the November 23, 1989 issue of The Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel.]

Act II, Scene 5 from Pass the Cranberries and What’s the Score

(The scene is a Norman Rockwell-like Thanksgiving dinner setting, complete with all the trimmings: grandma, mom, dad, two older sons and two younger daughters. Grandpa is in the family room sleeping on the couch and an old B-movie plays on the television set. Though dinner is nearly over, dishes are busily being passed and the clinking of silverware against a plate rings incessantly.)

Mom: Come on boys, finish the vegetables. There’s too little left to put in the refrigerator and we need room for the rest of the other leftovers.

Son #2: (Looks to his older brother.) OK, I’ll take the peas and mushrooms and you can have the corn.

Son #1: No problem. (Turns to his youngest sister.) Pass the salt.

Daughter #2: (Stretches her arm across the table, knocking over her glass of cherry-red Kool-Aid on the formerly brilliant white tablecloth.) It’s too far for me to reach. Could somebody pour me some more Kool-Aid?

Daughter #1: (Giggles.)

Dad: (Angrily.) That’s not funny. (Places all available napkins on the ever growing spill.)

Son #1: Oh, oh. I think I just saw the EPA pull up in the driveway. (No one at the table Continue Reading “Thanksgiving Thinking”

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged family, Growing Up, Thanksgiving

A New Metric for Elected Officials

By Chris Carosa on November 23, 2010

Quick, off the top of your head, what is the fourth (soon to be third) largest city in New York State? I’ll give you a hint. It’s not Syracuse.

G. Scott Thomas wrote a story (“Buffalo slips to 70th in city population,” Business First, November 22, 2010) that both concisely states the problem and suggests the single most important metric we should hold elected officials accountable for.

But first, the story, and how it defines the problem.

Some, as the Business First article intimates, say Buffalo hit its highpoint in 1900 when it ranked as the 8^th largest city in the nation. This figure, however, misleads. The nation had not yet quite filled itself out and some of the western cities were just getting started. These western cities had natural growth advantages and one could argue the 1900 ranking placed Buffalo too high.

The more accurate apex would be July 1951, when Fortune magazine featured “Made Continue Reading “A New Metric for Elected Officials”

Posted in Western New York State of Mind Tagged Buffalo, politics, population, Rochester, Western New York

Star Trek Fans: Call 232-3700 NOW!

By Chris Carosa on November 18, 2010

[This Commentary originally appeared in the November 16, 1989 issue of The Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel.]

The long day generally leaves a tired wasted body which desires only a warm meal, a soft sofa, and the remote control device. Don’t get me wrong. I really don’t consider myself a couch potato (though I wish I could afford that luxury). In fact, I peruse but two TV shows on a regular basis – the news and Star Trek (either the original or the newer series).

I find it very convenient that I often arrive home when either of these shows are on. Such timing grants me the opportunity to cook while watching the news and dine during Star Trek. (Don’t tell my mother, she still doesn’t like me to watch TV when eating dinner.)

Pleasant consistency, however, cannot exist in the dynamic media. Demographics and Arbitron Ratings eventually invade even the most staid of stations (witness the former Continue Reading “Star Trek Fans: Call 232-3700 NOW!”

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged Star Trek, William Shatner