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Saddam’s Savage State

By Chris Carosa on September 8, 2011

[This Commentary originally appeared in the September 6, 1990 issue of The Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel.]

Over 1,500 years ago, the great Roman civilization succumbed to the barbarian forces of the north. As the Huns swept down, the monuments of the Roman Empire crumbled. The invaders destroyed ancient buildings, killed innocent women and children, looted Christian graves and promptly left when they got bored.

These men had more in common with Continue Reading “Saddam’s Savage State”

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged Daniel Ellsberg, Dark Ages, Greece, Huns, Iraq, Kuwait, Middle East, Roman Empire, Rome, Ronnie Kovic, Saddam Hussein, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Western Civilization

A Sense of Belonging

By Chris Carosa on September 1, 2011

[This Commentary originally appeared in the August 30, 1990 issue of The Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel.]

Certain environments intimidate me quite easily. I attribute my dread to breeding (and possibly genetics). From the point we first become socially aware until we are finally released from the protective custody of family, we absorb mere echoes from the outside world. Yet until we embark into society alone do we genuinely rethink the axioms of our naïve view of the universe.

Growing up infuses a sense of culture in each of us. Not only do we place ourselves Continue Reading “A Sense of Belonging”

Posted in Memoir of a Real Life, The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged College, Freshman, Growing Up

Double Sessions

By Chris Carosa on August 25, 2011

[This Commentary originally appeared in the August 23, 1990 issue of The Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel.]

The early mornings of late August forebode the coming end of summer. A slight chill remains above the heavy wet grass until the sun gets high enough to melt the dew. Take a deep breath and you will notice the smell of the season has changed. The dry dustiness has been replaced by a soft gentle odor reminiscent of spring.

Late August mornings encourage us to Continue Reading “Double Sessions”

Posted in Memoir of a Real Life, The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged football, Gates Chili, Growing Up

More Silly Thoughts

By Chris Carosa on August 18, 2011

[This Commentary originally appeared in the August 16, 1990 issue of The Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel.]

In a continuing effort to entertain, which gets more and more difficult in August (namely because Congress goes on vacation), we proudly present more in a series of silly thoughts. As before, we remind the gentle reader the following contains no natural boundariess and represents free and unassociated thinking.

The Stereo. Why does the stereo always stop playing the music you put on just when you’re finally relaxed and ready to Continue Reading “More Silly Thoughts”

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged David Souter, Fay Vincent, George Steinbrenner, Orioles, Red Wings, Rosanne Barr, southern accents, Star Spangled Banner, stereo, television commercials

EDITORIAL

By Chris Carosa on August 11, 2011

[This Commentary originally appeared in the August 9, 1990 issue of The Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel.]

No Carosa Commentary appeared this week. In its place appeared an unsigned “Editorial” concerning the school budget vote.

Next Week #71: Happy 4^th of July! (originally published on August 2, 1990)
Next Week #73: More Silly Thoughts (originally published on August 16, 1990)

[What is this and why is here? See Interested in Discovering My Time Machine? for more details.]

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries

Happy 4th of July! (?)

By Chris Carosa on August 2, 2011

[This Commentary originally appeared in the August 2, 1990 issue of The Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel.]

Thomas Jefferson and John Adams bickered constantly during their lives. I don’t know too much about what they argued about. From the little reading I’ve done on the matter, though, it seems they agreed to disagree on just about everything.

We do know they agreed on at least three important things. First, they agreed the American colonies should be free from the reign of King George of Britain. This led to perhaps their best known Continue Reading “Happy 4th of July! (?)”

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged Adams, Declaration of Independence, Founding Father, Jefferson, Locke

The Great Tax Battle of 1990 – Winner #2: The Democrats

By Chris Carosa on July 26, 2011

[This Commentary originally appeared in the July 26, 1990 issue of The Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel.]

Part two in a series discussing the ramifications of the announcement in June by President Bush to increase tax revenues.

In the spirit of last week, let’s begin with some expository gibberish which permits the reader to know exactly where I stand:

I grew up in the heart of a Democrat stronghold in the shadows of an old fashioned blue collar steel mill. All that was fair, all that was honest was taught to me by my grandparents and their friends in the name of FDR. All that was innovative, all that was accomplished by youthful zest was brought to me by my parents and their friends in the name of JFK.

Of course, my elders rendered these common sense philosophies without the burden of Continue Reading “The Great Tax Battle of 1990 – Winner #2: The Democrats”

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged politics, Reagan, taxes

The Great Tax Battle of 1990 – Winner #1: George Bush

By Chris Carosa on July 21, 2011

[This Commentary originally appeared in the July 19, 1990 issue of The Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel.]

Let’s get one thing out quickly. I don’t like taxes. I don’t think the government does a good job spending our money. When it comes to the national budget, I think I could make better decisions in three minutes than some Washington Bureaucrat can make after a three year study. I hate taxes. I believe they suck the blood from an otherwise vigorous nation.

Of course, I am rational enough to realize the government must provide services (like Continue Reading “The Great Tax Battle of 1990 – Winner #1: George Bush”

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged George Bush, politics, taxes

Milestones

By Chris Carosa on July 14, 2011

[This Commentary originally appeared in the July 12, 1990 issue of The Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel.]

Our society excels at noting matters of record. These milestones can brighten up an otherwise dull journey. Whether they be points of interest while traveling or anniversaries of historic events, we enjoy inducing structural comfort into our lives. Structural comfort implies our choice of markers can be arbitrary. We pick them only because the milestone ends in five or, even more often, zero.

Think about it. How many people celebrate with fanfare their twenty-third wedding anniversary or their ninth year since graduation? Most folks go wild on their twenty-fifth Continue Reading “Milestones”

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged birthday, Growing Up

Day 2: Saturday, July 9, 2011 – Roman Connection Comes Through

By Chris Carosa on July 9, 2011

Here’s what strikes me right away: the landscape. Leaving the confines of the Leonardo DaVinci airport finds us quickly on an expressway heading towards Rome. Being a good distance from the city, farm land and open fields surround the airport. It’s that landscape which first struck me twenty-one years ago that entices me once again. I can’t tell you what it is. I’ve only been here once before but I feel so… at home. Maybe it’s the soft hues of subtle shades of green and aromatic amber. It’s like the feeling is on the tip of my tongue, and then I see it.

It’s a string of umbrella pines stretching across a small hill to our right. These trees. These trees have been part of me my whole life. I don’t know why I say that. They’re not indigenous to Western New York or even America. They are native to Mediterranean climes. Vague memories stir within the oldest parts of my brain. I faintly recall a home movie – perhaps from my grandfather? – shot through a window of a moving car, showing this exact scene. It’s odd. I don’t know if it’s Continue Reading “Day 2: Saturday, July 9, 2011 – Roman Connection Comes Through”

Posted in Memoir of a Real Life Tagged Fontecchio, Italy, My Italian Journal - 2011, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Rome, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Umbrella Pine

Chris Carosa