Published on 12/23/2006 in THE POST-STAR
GLENS FALLS -- Army Spc. Taylor Stewart was on his way out of Baghdad when he got one final, unwelcome souvenir -- a bullet in his leg.
Stewart, who grew up in Glens Falls and is home on leave, said he didn't even realize he had been shot at first. After all, his unit -- the 72nd Signal Battalion, based in Mannheim, Germany -- specializes in communications, not combat. They had come under fire several times during their one-year deployment but were in no apparent danger at that moment. They were simply relaxing inside a tent surrounded by a wall of sandbags at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, waiting for a next-day flight out of Iraq.
"I figured it was probably the safest place I could be," Stewart recalled. "Next thing I know ... I felt something hot across my leg."
He initially thought a friend had played a prank on him with a slingshot. "I got up to yell at my buddy, and I hear, 'Stewart, sit down! You're bleeding.' "
Fortunately, the bullet missed the leg bone as it went through his flesh and came to a stop in the cot's metal frame. Stewart went to the hospital and "let them clean me up," then signed himself out so he could leave with his company the next day.
He called his parents, Anni Stewart of Glens Falls and William Stewart of Hudson Falls, who were alarmed to hear of his wound but relieved that it wasn't worse. Although his mother initially told a Post-Star editor that her son thought the shot came from a rooftop sniper, Taylor now says that was just a miscommunication.
"Nah, it was just some guy with an AK-47 who was firing into the base," he said. "The Apaches (Army attack helicopters) took care of him pretty quick."
About a month later, 21-year-old Stewart is healed and home for the holidays. On the surface, he seems to blend in with his peers. He wears jeans, a hooded sweat shirt and a ball cap and slips slang like "dude" and "whatever, clever" into conversation.
But his year in Iraq has marked him in other ways. He pulls the bullet from his jeans pocket, where it's carried close to the 3-inch-long scar it created. Traces of his blood are still visible in the grooves of the 7.62-mm slug.
Another newly acquired piece of metal, with a much happier origin, rests around his ring finger. Stewart got married on Dec. 7, just five days after coming home and introducing his girlfriend -- Laura Asher, a National Guard medic from Indiana -- to his parents.
The couple met in Iraq when Stewart went to the clinic for treatment of a minor back injury earlier this year, and their relationship quickly deepened. They dated for about six months before the wedding.
"Some people say that's short, but it's different over there," he said. "You don't have your Abercrombie and Fitch clothes, gel in your hair and a couple drinks to loosen you up. All you have is yourself, so you really get to know people quick ... and we just really connected."
His perspective on relationships isn't the only thing altered by his service in Iraq. He's learned to be grateful for simple things, like safety.
"People take so much for granted here," he said. "Like walking down the street, not having a care in the world besides the essay they have to do for school tomorrow."
Stewart still has the deep sense of patriotism that motivated him to join the Army, but he said he's also gained "mad respect" for Iraqi culture after his time there.
"When I went over there, I figured I'd see some camels walking by and some people in turbans, but they're actually really modernized," he said. "They are some of the hardest-working people I've ever met, and they do it all with a smile on their face. ... No matter what we may think of them, they have really strong values. They're very family oriented."
Stewart said that even though his four-year term of service will be complete by this time next year, he could end up back in action due to the Army's "stop loss" policy. That means that if the 72nd is re-deployed within 90 days of the time Stewart's enlistment is due to end -- something he said leaders have already hinted is likely -- he would be required to serve an additional year.
Beyond that, Stewart said he's not sure what he would like to do next. "I've been contemplating re-enlistment," he said. "But I come home every time, and my nieces and nephews have grown a foot. I don't know ... I'm just enjoying having very little responsibility right now."
He doesn't mind recounting his story for friends and family when they ask -- and they have, dozens of times -- but winces when people assign him too much praise.
"I'm not a hero; the heroes are the guys who didn't come home," he said.
His childhood friend, Kyle Nelson, has a different opinion. "I think they're all heroes over there,"
Nelson said. "He should be proud of what he did."
---
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Monday, December 18, 2006
This Bud's for no one
Published on 12/17/2006 in THE POST-STAR (Local news)
QUEENSBURY -- Sheriff's officers are used to seeing accidents where alcohol is involved, but in the case of a tractor-trailer that overturned on Route 149 near Bay Road early Saturday morning, alcohol was a victim rather than a suspect.
An International tractor-trailer carrying a full load of bottled Budweiser beer slid off the road and overturned around 6 a.m., spilling its cargo all over the road and into the surrounding woods, according to the Warren County Sheriff's Office.
The truck was operated by 61-year-old Thomas J. Waltos of North Syracuse, who was extricated from the truck cab by Bay Ridge Volunteer Fire Company and Bay Ridge EMS. Waltos was treated at the scene but refused further medical attention, officers said.
The accident was apparently caused by black ice and a possible load shift as the truck slid around a curve, heading eastbound down a hill toward Bay Road.
"There was a lot of alcohol involved, but was the operator drinking? I'd have to say no, that's been ruled out," said Warren County Sheriff Sgt. Pasquale Girard.
The tractor-trailer, a 2005 model owned by Gypsum Express Ltd., was en route from Baldwinsville, near Syracuse, to South Burlington, Vt., for a delivery. Its cargo of beer was "a total loss," according to the Sheriff's Office.
No assistance was needed from the Department of Environmental Conservation's spills response team, because the spill did not affect any waterways or residences, Girard said. A crew from Thomson's Garage in Lake George was called to the scene for towing and waste removal, a process that took at least eight hours and required closing Route 149 between Oxbow Hill Road and Walkup Cutoff. Sheriff's officers diverted traffic along Moon Kill Road. The accident was investigated by Warren County Sheriff's Officer Adam Spinelli.
By 10:30 a.m., the air was still thick with the yeasty smell of a brewery as a reporter reached the scene. The road's shoulder was a slick black paste of beer and dirt beneath a waist-high pile of crushed cardboard boxes and broken bottles. The work would take several more hours, but the cleanup crew was in a cheerful mood.
"I can't complain! It's a beautiful day, and it's not snowing," Fred Thomson said, after removing the trailer's remaining metal siding with a blowtorch.
Harry Saum stopped digging his front-end loader into the pile of bottles long enough to answer a question about his job title.
"What's it look like? I'm a beer cleaner-upper," he replied with a grin.
Gypsum Express or its insurance carrier will be billed for the cleanup, Girard said.
--Friday, December 15, 2006
Glens Falls one of the worst places to live in U.S.?
Published on 12/14/2006 in THE POST-STAR's Go
Dave Gilmartin, 30, works as an advertising copywriter in Manhattan and makes fun of other cities in his spare time. His first book, "The Absolutely Worst Places to Live in America," was published by St. Martin's Press in October 2006.
The book is based on responses he received from using Craigslist and other Web forums to ask people about the worst place they had ever lived or visited. There are two New York cities included among the top 50 "worst places" -- Syracuse and Glens Falls.
At press time, the book's sales rank on Amazon.com was 36,020.
Q: So, what's your beef with Glens Falls? How did it make it into the top 50 worst places?
A: I guess the main theme I went with is just how it is all about neighboring towns. You know, I'm from New Jersey and we do that all the time, we pretend we're cool because New York City is right next door. With Glens Falls, it's all about Lake George and Saratoga. Like if the guy next door has a nice lawn, but I don't -- well, I'm close to the nice lawn! I don't want the speed of escape to be the best thing about where I'm living.
The other theme I heard from a lot of people is that the teenagers are all bored and can't wait to escape. But Glens Falls is pretty tame compared to some of the others, actually. It's certainly no Detroit!
Q: Ever been to Glens Falls?
A: Well, I've been through it. I just kind of drove around. I basically had what I was going to write at that point. I mean, the book is largely testimonials and quotes...I'm a humor writer, and I don't have any journalistic sensibilities! (laughs) Syracuse is the one (of two New York cities included in the book) I know much better, personally. Glens Falls is one I sort of uncovered. It just kept popping up. And I was doing so many large cities that I wanted a small, boring town, too.
Q: What are some of the worst things people said about Glens Falls?
A: That it's a big, boring ghetto..."home to the high school basketball hall of fame, as well as lost dreams and failed aspirations." That's a quote from a local.
Q: How did you write the book?
A: I did polling online, survey-taking...went to every Craigslist in the country and asked people, "What's the worst place you've ever been?" Then, once I had votes, I would start corresponding with people. It was cool, I actually got to meet a lot of interesting people who really hated their towns. People were really willing to unload.
It took about a year and a half. I did some traveling, too. There wasn't really any great method to it. I tried not to pick all 50 from Jersey, which was a challenge. Then there's some, like Baltimore, that's a shoo-in regardless of any research...
Q: Where did you get the idea?
A: I work in advertising and do some magazine junk, and I was talking to an editor one day, trying to think of something satirical to write. It was around the time the "Best Places to Live" articles come out every year, so I just thought of the opposite. It was totally random. I just like to make fun of stuff, I don't know what that says about me! (laughs)
I'm from Jersey, so I think that's where my expertise came from. My whole life, I've been made fun of for being from Jersey, so it's fun to spread it around a little bit. Not that we aren't bad, but other places are too... The whole point is just to be funny. I'm just trying to be funny, and I think about half the people get it, and half are very angry.
Q: Oh, yeah? So you've gotten complaints from some of the places you wrote about?
A: Big cities don't care. Like, I haven't heard from Detroit, they've got bigger fish to fry. But Mitchell, South Dakota -- they covered my book like it was the presidential debate. I debated the mayor on the radio for like 45 minutes!
Q: So, I noticed from a Google search that Dave Gilmartin is apparently a pseudonym. Why not use your real name?
A: Yeah, I wish I hadn't let that slip...it's a long, boring story, but the easy answer is that I didn't want anyone from Detroit to find me and kill me. They've killed people for less than this!
Q: Any plans for a second book?
A: I feel like I need to write something really positive next, to realign my karma. A book about puppies or something...although a book about the worst colleges would be really funny.
Dave Gilmartin, 30, works as an advertising copywriter in Manhattan and makes fun of other cities in his spare time. His first book, "The Absolutely Worst Places to Live in America," was published by St. Martin's Press in October 2006.
The book is based on responses he received from using Craigslist and other Web forums to ask people about the worst place they had ever lived or visited. There are two New York cities included among the top 50 "worst places" -- Syracuse and Glens Falls.
At press time, the book's sales rank on Amazon.com was 36,020.
Q: So, what's your beef with Glens Falls? How did it make it into the top 50 worst places?
A: I guess the main theme I went with is just how it is all about neighboring towns. You know, I'm from New Jersey and we do that all the time, we pretend we're cool because New York City is right next door. With Glens Falls, it's all about Lake George and Saratoga. Like if the guy next door has a nice lawn, but I don't -- well, I'm close to the nice lawn! I don't want the speed of escape to be the best thing about where I'm living.
The other theme I heard from a lot of people is that the teenagers are all bored and can't wait to escape. But Glens Falls is pretty tame compared to some of the others, actually. It's certainly no Detroit!
Q: Ever been to Glens Falls?
A: Well, I've been through it. I just kind of drove around. I basically had what I was going to write at that point. I mean, the book is largely testimonials and quotes...I'm a humor writer, and I don't have any journalistic sensibilities! (laughs) Syracuse is the one (of two New York cities included in the book) I know much better, personally. Glens Falls is one I sort of uncovered. It just kept popping up. And I was doing so many large cities that I wanted a small, boring town, too.
Q: What are some of the worst things people said about Glens Falls?
A: That it's a big, boring ghetto..."home to the high school basketball hall of fame, as well as lost dreams and failed aspirations." That's a quote from a local.
Q: How did you write the book?
A: I did polling online, survey-taking...went to every Craigslist in the country and asked people, "What's the worst place you've ever been?" Then, once I had votes, I would start corresponding with people. It was cool, I actually got to meet a lot of interesting people who really hated their towns. People were really willing to unload.
It took about a year and a half. I did some traveling, too. There wasn't really any great method to it. I tried not to pick all 50 from Jersey, which was a challenge. Then there's some, like Baltimore, that's a shoo-in regardless of any research...
Q: Where did you get the idea?
A: I work in advertising and do some magazine junk, and I was talking to an editor one day, trying to think of something satirical to write. It was around the time the "Best Places to Live" articles come out every year, so I just thought of the opposite. It was totally random. I just like to make fun of stuff, I don't know what that says about me! (laughs)
I'm from Jersey, so I think that's where my expertise came from. My whole life, I've been made fun of for being from Jersey, so it's fun to spread it around a little bit. Not that we aren't bad, but other places are too... The whole point is just to be funny. I'm just trying to be funny, and I think about half the people get it, and half are very angry.
Q: Oh, yeah? So you've gotten complaints from some of the places you wrote about?
A: Big cities don't care. Like, I haven't heard from Detroit, they've got bigger fish to fry. But Mitchell, South Dakota -- they covered my book like it was the presidential debate. I debated the mayor on the radio for like 45 minutes!
Q: So, I noticed from a Google search that Dave Gilmartin is apparently a pseudonym. Why not use your real name?
A: Yeah, I wish I hadn't let that slip...it's a long, boring story, but the easy answer is that I didn't want anyone from Detroit to find me and kill me. They've killed people for less than this!
Q: Any plans for a second book?
A: I feel like I need to write something really positive next, to realign my karma. A book about puppies or something...although a book about the worst colleges would be really funny.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Local woman opens a window of aid to Africa
Published on 12/3/2006 in THE POST-STAR
What started as a Saratoga County couple's vacation splurge -- a bike race in South Africa, and a visit to Victoria Falls -- became a humanitarian surge that is powering the transformation of an entire African village.
World's Window, a new nonprofit organization based in Ballston Lake, is working to replace poverty with self-sustainability and empowerment, starting with the small, rural village of Chikandakubi in western Zimbabwe.
Seven professionals from the Capital District just returned from a three-week voluntary mission to Chikandakubi through World's Window. They brought 26 suitcases full of supplies, helped the villagers construct a workshop, and offered their expertise in the areas of medicine, animal breeding, engineering and education.
"We're a small number of people who feel strongly about making a difference. You have to leave your ego and agenda at the door, and say, 'What can I do to help?' " said Denise Stasik, a health care worker from Ballston Spa who worked in the medical clinic and women's empowerment projects.
When the group arrived, at least 50 women and children met them beside the road, extending their hands and chanting in welcome.
"It was the warmest, most emotional greeting I have ever had in my entire life," said Cindy Schmehl, the founder and president of World's Window. "They are so appreciative of the help we are trying to give them to help them earn a living for themselves."
Her husband, Tim, was among the volunteers. He used his skills as an engineer to install solar electricity panels and improve wells.
"It was really a lot of work, but the rewards were so much better than going and taking a cruise or something," he said. "It was very useful to a large number of people. It helped change their lives."
'I can't just leave them'
Cindy and Tim Schmehl didn't expect to change anyone's life when they first traveled to Africa together in 2003. Friends had invited Tim to join a bike race in South Africa, and Cindy was thrilled at the rare chance to travel internationally.
On a side trip to the neighboring country of Zimbabwe to see one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Victoria Falls, the couple started chatting with a local man after repeatedly running into him. His name was Godfrey Dube.
Cindy asked Dube if he knew how they could visit one of the surrounding villages. "He responded in the style we've heard a lot since then: 'Sure, that can be done,' " Tim remembered. After a bumpy ride in Dube's battered car, the Schmehls got their first glimpse of Chikandakubi, home to about 1,500 members of the minority Ndbelle tribe.
The Schmehls were struck by both the extreme poverty they saw, and the friendly openness of the villagers. "I realized how much I have as an American -- how lucky I am," Cindy said.
Donkey carts, or bare feet, were the only forms of transportation; malaria was rampant, and food was scarce. Gardens were often trampled by elephants. The village school had broken windows, no desks and a chalkboard too chipped to write on. Teachers and students sat together on a pockmarked cement floor, lacking simple tools like pencils, paper or books.
Cindy's eyes filled with tears as they got on the plane to go home. "She said, 'I can't just leave them,' " Tim remembered.
He had no idea how much she meant that.
She started out collecting pens and pencils to send to the school, but decided that wasn't enough. By 2004, she had returned to Chikandakubi, bringing supplies and volunteers from the Rotary Club. The need was much larger than one short-term project could meet, however.
Thinking big
In June 2005, Cindy registered World's Window Inc. as a nonprofit dedicated to "providing humanitarian aid in the form of education, services, supplies and materials to areas of the world in desperate need."
Dube, the man who introduced the Schmehls to Chikandakubi, is now the project manager for World's Window -- and the group has a lot of projects there. So far, World's Window has built a medical clinic, library, orphanage and men's woodworking shop in Chikandakubi. They have also launched an array of other projects that include planting drought-resistant trees with edible leaves; preventing and researching malaria; empowering women; training teachers; providing transportation; breeding farm animals; and distributing basic essentials like toiletries and clothing.
If that seems like a lot to juggle for a fledgling organization that's still based in the Schmehls' home, consider Cindy's background. She ran her own event-planning business for five years, and managed the Latham Circle Mall before that. She's always enjoyed taking on projects that would daunt other people, her husband said.
"She's always done things big," he said. "The holidays are always pretty big productions in our home."
True to form, Cindy brought her own version of a big holiday production to Chikandakubi on the November trip. She brought along costumes -- the village school headmaster dressed as Santa Claus while she played Mrs. Claus -- and hundreds of "goody bags" for the children, each one containing a toy and some basic necessities.
"We were prepared for 350 children, and when we arrived, there were 500, so we had to scramble to come up with extra bags, but we did it," Cindy said.
So much need
Cindy explained that the village population -- particularly in terms of school-age children -- is growing rapidly in recent months for a troubling reason. Unemployment is over 80 percent in Zimbabwe, and the few jobs that exist are mostly in cities, which is why several thousand families have moved away from Chikandakubi in the past decade or so.
But as in many African countries, the HIV infection rate is also extraordinarily high, affecting about 20 percent of Zimbabwe's population.
"Many of those people who left to seek employment elsewhere have now developed AIDS and are returning to their villages to find family. Our medical clinic is going to be hit hard," Cindy predicted. "The other thing is, many of them are bringing back children who will be left on their own. Right now, it's not unusual for a 9- or 10-year-old to be head of household."
Chikandakubi's small primary school already has 89 orphans, she said. Drought and political upheaval have crippled the country once known as "the breadbasket of Africa" so much that when World's Window volunteers interviewed 160 orphans from the Chikandakubi schools about what they needed to stay in school, most said, "Food."
After seeing such great need, going to an American grocery store is "an emotional experience," Cindy said.
Denise Stasik said she was especially struck by the response of one 16-year-old girl, whose diet consisted of one cup of porridge every other day.
"She said, 'I only need food. With food, I can think. And if I can think, I can do anything.' "
Working together
By speaking and showing pictures of Chikandakubi in churches, schools and civic groups whenever she can, Cindy has already attracted a broad base of support for World's Window. The eight-member board of directors includes professionals from the health care community, educators and business owners. Several school districts in the Capital District region have signed up to participate in a cross-cultural exchange with the Chikandakubi schools, and a program is in the works that could add Coxsackie Correctional Facility inmates to World's Window's base of volunteers. The New York State Department of Health, through the Wadsworth Center at SUNY Albany, is helping with the malaria research project.
"The projects just keep multiplying, because the need is so great," said Cindy.
World's Window will always be committed to Chikandakubi, she said, but eventually she hopes the organization will be large enough to make a difference in other communities throughout the world.
"Our vision is to make the entire village self-sustaining as a whole," she said. "And as we grow, I hope to reach out to other places. It could be in another African country, or it could even be in an impoverished part of the U.S."
Although her husband said he's "a little bit in awe of what she's been able to accomplish," Cindy shrugs off the praise. "I'm just an ordinary woman. I love children, and I love people," she said. "I'm not an expert in anything, but I work very, very hard and surround myself with people who do have the expertise to help all the projects along."
Besides, she said, none of this has happened by coincidence.
"I just believe that I'm being led down a certain path," she said. "And I don't think God would ever give me something I couldn't handle."
---
WHAT YOU CAN DO Volunteers are invited to join a World's Window trip to Chikandakubi at their own cost. The next trip, scheduled for February 2007, is currently full, but space is available on the November 2007 trip. The organization also needs volunteers to help with general office tasks and grant applications, and is seeking members for a medical advisory committee, women's empowerment committee, and golf tournament committee. Donations of money and office supplies are also needed. To learn more, visit http://www.worlds-window.org/, e-mail cindy@worlds-window.org or call 877-0382.
What started as a Saratoga County couple's vacation splurge -- a bike race in South Africa, and a visit to Victoria Falls -- became a humanitarian surge that is powering the transformation of an entire African village.
World's Window, a new nonprofit organization based in Ballston Lake, is working to replace poverty with self-sustainability and empowerment, starting with the small, rural village of Chikandakubi in western Zimbabwe.
Seven professionals from the Capital District just returned from a three-week voluntary mission to Chikandakubi through World's Window. They brought 26 suitcases full of supplies, helped the villagers construct a workshop, and offered their expertise in the areas of medicine, animal breeding, engineering and education.
"We're a small number of people who feel strongly about making a difference. You have to leave your ego and agenda at the door, and say, 'What can I do to help?' " said Denise Stasik, a health care worker from Ballston Spa who worked in the medical clinic and women's empowerment projects.
When the group arrived, at least 50 women and children met them beside the road, extending their hands and chanting in welcome.
"It was the warmest, most emotional greeting I have ever had in my entire life," said Cindy Schmehl, the founder and president of World's Window. "They are so appreciative of the help we are trying to give them to help them earn a living for themselves."
Her husband, Tim, was among the volunteers. He used his skills as an engineer to install solar electricity panels and improve wells.
"It was really a lot of work, but the rewards were so much better than going and taking a cruise or something," he said. "It was very useful to a large number of people. It helped change their lives."
'I can't just leave them'
Cindy and Tim Schmehl didn't expect to change anyone's life when they first traveled to Africa together in 2003. Friends had invited Tim to join a bike race in South Africa, and Cindy was thrilled at the rare chance to travel internationally.
On a side trip to the neighboring country of Zimbabwe to see one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Victoria Falls, the couple started chatting with a local man after repeatedly running into him. His name was Godfrey Dube.
Cindy asked Dube if he knew how they could visit one of the surrounding villages. "He responded in the style we've heard a lot since then: 'Sure, that can be done,' " Tim remembered. After a bumpy ride in Dube's battered car, the Schmehls got their first glimpse of Chikandakubi, home to about 1,500 members of the minority Ndbelle tribe.
The Schmehls were struck by both the extreme poverty they saw, and the friendly openness of the villagers. "I realized how much I have as an American -- how lucky I am," Cindy said.
Donkey carts, or bare feet, were the only forms of transportation; malaria was rampant, and food was scarce. Gardens were often trampled by elephants. The village school had broken windows, no desks and a chalkboard too chipped to write on. Teachers and students sat together on a pockmarked cement floor, lacking simple tools like pencils, paper or books.
Cindy's eyes filled with tears as they got on the plane to go home. "She said, 'I can't just leave them,' " Tim remembered.
He had no idea how much she meant that.
She started out collecting pens and pencils to send to the school, but decided that wasn't enough. By 2004, she had returned to Chikandakubi, bringing supplies and volunteers from the Rotary Club. The need was much larger than one short-term project could meet, however.
Thinking big
In June 2005, Cindy registered World's Window Inc. as a nonprofit dedicated to "providing humanitarian aid in the form of education, services, supplies and materials to areas of the world in desperate need."
Dube, the man who introduced the Schmehls to Chikandakubi, is now the project manager for World's Window -- and the group has a lot of projects there. So far, World's Window has built a medical clinic, library, orphanage and men's woodworking shop in Chikandakubi. They have also launched an array of other projects that include planting drought-resistant trees with edible leaves; preventing and researching malaria; empowering women; training teachers; providing transportation; breeding farm animals; and distributing basic essentials like toiletries and clothing.
If that seems like a lot to juggle for a fledgling organization that's still based in the Schmehls' home, consider Cindy's background. She ran her own event-planning business for five years, and managed the Latham Circle Mall before that. She's always enjoyed taking on projects that would daunt other people, her husband said.
"She's always done things big," he said. "The holidays are always pretty big productions in our home."
True to form, Cindy brought her own version of a big holiday production to Chikandakubi on the November trip. She brought along costumes -- the village school headmaster dressed as Santa Claus while she played Mrs. Claus -- and hundreds of "goody bags" for the children, each one containing a toy and some basic necessities.
"We were prepared for 350 children, and when we arrived, there were 500, so we had to scramble to come up with extra bags, but we did it," Cindy said.
So much need
Cindy explained that the village population -- particularly in terms of school-age children -- is growing rapidly in recent months for a troubling reason. Unemployment is over 80 percent in Zimbabwe, and the few jobs that exist are mostly in cities, which is why several thousand families have moved away from Chikandakubi in the past decade or so.
But as in many African countries, the HIV infection rate is also extraordinarily high, affecting about 20 percent of Zimbabwe's population.
"Many of those people who left to seek employment elsewhere have now developed AIDS and are returning to their villages to find family. Our medical clinic is going to be hit hard," Cindy predicted. "The other thing is, many of them are bringing back children who will be left on their own. Right now, it's not unusual for a 9- or 10-year-old to be head of household."
Chikandakubi's small primary school already has 89 orphans, she said. Drought and political upheaval have crippled the country once known as "the breadbasket of Africa" so much that when World's Window volunteers interviewed 160 orphans from the Chikandakubi schools about what they needed to stay in school, most said, "Food."
After seeing such great need, going to an American grocery store is "an emotional experience," Cindy said.
Denise Stasik said she was especially struck by the response of one 16-year-old girl, whose diet consisted of one cup of porridge every other day.
"She said, 'I only need food. With food, I can think. And if I can think, I can do anything.' "
Working together
By speaking and showing pictures of Chikandakubi in churches, schools and civic groups whenever she can, Cindy has already attracted a broad base of support for World's Window. The eight-member board of directors includes professionals from the health care community, educators and business owners. Several school districts in the Capital District region have signed up to participate in a cross-cultural exchange with the Chikandakubi schools, and a program is in the works that could add Coxsackie Correctional Facility inmates to World's Window's base of volunteers. The New York State Department of Health, through the Wadsworth Center at SUNY Albany, is helping with the malaria research project.
"The projects just keep multiplying, because the need is so great," said Cindy.
World's Window will always be committed to Chikandakubi, she said, but eventually she hopes the organization will be large enough to make a difference in other communities throughout the world.
"Our vision is to make the entire village self-sustaining as a whole," she said. "And as we grow, I hope to reach out to other places. It could be in another African country, or it could even be in an impoverished part of the U.S."
Although her husband said he's "a little bit in awe of what she's been able to accomplish," Cindy shrugs off the praise. "I'm just an ordinary woman. I love children, and I love people," she said. "I'm not an expert in anything, but I work very, very hard and surround myself with people who do have the expertise to help all the projects along."
Besides, she said, none of this has happened by coincidence.
"I just believe that I'm being led down a certain path," she said. "And I don't think God would ever give me something I couldn't handle."
---
WHAT YOU CAN DO Volunteers are invited to join a World's Window trip to Chikandakubi at their own cost. The next trip, scheduled for February 2007, is currently full, but space is available on the November 2007 trip. The organization also needs volunteers to help with general office tasks and grant applications, and is seeking members for a medical advisory committee, women's empowerment committee, and golf tournament committee. Donations of money and office supplies are also needed. To learn more, visit http://www.worlds-window.org/, e-mail cindy@worlds-window.org or call 877-0382.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Local gamer's Wii web site takes off
ublished on 11/25/2006 in THE POST-STAR
GLENS FALLS -- This spring, when Nintendo changed the name of its soon-to-be-released video gaming system from the "Revolution" to the "Wii," high school senior Ian Mikutel had a problem.
It was about two weeks before the staff of his year-old Web site and podcast about the Nintendo system planned to attend the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, and they had already ordered business cards and T-shirts featuring their site's name: Revolution Report.
The 10-person staff, scattered across the country, brainstormed via conference call until 4 a.m. and finally came up with a new name for their site: The Wiire.
"We've always been a very news-focused site, so it's like a play on 'news wire,'" Mikutel explained. Nintendo's explanation for the odd-sounding name, he said, was simple. "It's like the word 'we,' and the two 'i's represent two people playing together," he said. "So basically, it's all about inclusion."
Mikutel, now a freshman at Rochester Institute of Technology, said the redesigned site's traffic is growing by about 10,000 unique visits a month, pushing it toward 100,000 visits this month. Apple recently featured The Wiire Podcast on the home page of the iTunes music store. "At this rate, we could get two million hits a year," he said. "It's crazy to think about."
Besides a new name and color scheme -- coincidentally, the same combination of white and sky blue that Nintendo picked for the Wii packaging -- the biggest change to Mikutel's site is the addition of game reviews.
"Video game reviews are notoriously something that most people don't want to read, they just want to skip to the rating," he said. "So we decided to split our reviews up into three stages, to cater to all types of people."
Readers who want only a general synopsis of a game can check out stage one, "impressions," which explains in less than a page how the game is played and what is looks, feels and sounds like. More detailed information is available in the second stage, "analysis," written after the reviewer has taken a day off and then tried the game again. After the final stage -- "evaluation," written for what Mikutel calls "hard-core gaming enthusiasts" -- each game is rated on a 100-point scale.
Only a few complete reviews are on the site right now, he said, because Nintendo prereleased the Wii to the media just one week before it hit the consumer market on Nov. 19. That wasn't enough lead time to check out the 30 games launched with the console, some of which, like "Zelda," take 70 hours to complete.
"It was too late for most of the gaming magazines to get reviews done in time for their holiday issues, so it could push more people online, which I guess is a nice thing for us," he said. "But I'd rather see more press for the Wii."
Mikutel explained that his enthusiasm for the Wii is not simply because his Web site depends on its success. He loves the new system because it "levels the playing field" between new and experienced video game players. Some of the games are short and simple, and many of them provide a workout.
Instead of jostling joysticks, players can use remote controls to mimic the movements of real-life activities like tennis and boxing. Even his 80-year-old grandmother, Dorothy Smith, tried the Wii out when she came for a visit.
"She's never played a video game before, and she beat me at bowling!" Mikutel said.
Smith smiled modestly. "I can be a little competitive," she confided. Then she noticed the words "The Wiire" on her grandson's T-shirt.
"Do you have something to do with this?" she asked, looking puzzled. "Why is it spelled wrong?"
LOGGING ON http://www.thewiire.com/
GLENS FALLS -- This spring, when Nintendo changed the name of its soon-to-be-released video gaming system from the "Revolution" to the "Wii," high school senior Ian Mikutel had a problem.
It was about two weeks before the staff of his year-old Web site and podcast about the Nintendo system planned to attend the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, and they had already ordered business cards and T-shirts featuring their site's name: Revolution Report.
The 10-person staff, scattered across the country, brainstormed via conference call until 4 a.m. and finally came up with a new name for their site: The Wiire.
"We've always been a very news-focused site, so it's like a play on 'news wire,'" Mikutel explained. Nintendo's explanation for the odd-sounding name, he said, was simple. "It's like the word 'we,' and the two 'i's represent two people playing together," he said. "So basically, it's all about inclusion."
Mikutel, now a freshman at Rochester Institute of Technology, said the redesigned site's traffic is growing by about 10,000 unique visits a month, pushing it toward 100,000 visits this month. Apple recently featured The Wiire Podcast on the home page of the iTunes music store. "At this rate, we could get two million hits a year," he said. "It's crazy to think about."
Besides a new name and color scheme -- coincidentally, the same combination of white and sky blue that Nintendo picked for the Wii packaging -- the biggest change to Mikutel's site is the addition of game reviews.
"Video game reviews are notoriously something that most people don't want to read, they just want to skip to the rating," he said. "So we decided to split our reviews up into three stages, to cater to all types of people."
Readers who want only a general synopsis of a game can check out stage one, "impressions," which explains in less than a page how the game is played and what is looks, feels and sounds like. More detailed information is available in the second stage, "analysis," written after the reviewer has taken a day off and then tried the game again. After the final stage -- "evaluation," written for what Mikutel calls "hard-core gaming enthusiasts" -- each game is rated on a 100-point scale.
Only a few complete reviews are on the site right now, he said, because Nintendo prereleased the Wii to the media just one week before it hit the consumer market on Nov. 19. That wasn't enough lead time to check out the 30 games launched with the console, some of which, like "Zelda," take 70 hours to complete.
"It was too late for most of the gaming magazines to get reviews done in time for their holiday issues, so it could push more people online, which I guess is a nice thing for us," he said. "But I'd rather see more press for the Wii."
Mikutel explained that his enthusiasm for the Wii is not simply because his Web site depends on its success. He loves the new system because it "levels the playing field" between new and experienced video game players. Some of the games are short and simple, and many of them provide a workout.
Instead of jostling joysticks, players can use remote controls to mimic the movements of real-life activities like tennis and boxing. Even his 80-year-old grandmother, Dorothy Smith, tried the Wii out when she came for a visit.
"She's never played a video game before, and she beat me at bowling!" Mikutel said.
Smith smiled modestly. "I can be a little competitive," she confided. Then she noticed the words "The Wiire" on her grandson's T-shirt.
"Do you have something to do with this?" she asked, looking puzzled. "Why is it spelled wrong?"
LOGGING ON http://www.thewiire.com/
Saturday, November 25, 2006
For Better, For Worse, Forever...
Published in The Post-Star (A1)
11/20/06
Thomas DeVol does not believe in divorce, ever.
Not even if a couple has stopped loving each other. ("What about for better or worse?") Not even if a spouse cheats. ("Adultery can be forgiven.") Not even if a husband beats his wife. ("If he committed assault, he can go to jail, but don't get a divorce.")
DeVol, 62, is a Christian minister with a Ph.D. in counseling psychology who specializes in what he calls "no divorce" marriage counseling.
"The way that our society is coming apart is all about the breakdown of the family," he said. "I'm zealous about keeping families together at all costs."
DeVol grew up in Glens Falls and recently returned to the area after his license to practice psychology was revoked by the state of Missouri, although he says that wasn't his motivation for
moving. *(next-day correction: he moved after the state filed charges against him, but before his license was revoked in March 2006).
"The Adirondacks are my idea of paradise, and I always wanted to retire here," he said. "But I can't just sit on my hands in my retirement."
While some retirees are content to take up gardening or shuffleboard, DeVol's endeavor is a bit more ambitious: He wants to eliminate divorce from American society.
"The default setting in our society now is to be single. It's countercultural to be married," he said. "It's almost like divorce is in the drinking water here!"
He speaks from experience -- his first marriage ended in divorce after 10 turbulent years. Although it was turbulent from the start -- "my wife started running off with other men five weeks after the wedding," he said -- he now thinks there was no excuse for divorcing and splitting their young daughter's life between two households.
"If I'd had a lot more maturity back then, I could have made the marriage work," he said. "Couldn't I have forgiven her for adultery? When I think of the pain that caused my poor little girl ..."
He fell silent, looking at a framed portrait of his daughter, who is now married and living in Cleveland, Ohio.
"The breakup of that marriage was really the impetus for the no-divorce clinics," he explained. "I don't know if I would say it's God's plan, but I think I made a bad choice and God made something good out of it."
His church denomination, the Assemblies of God, does not ordain divorced individuals, so his ministerial credentials are with a group called New Covenant Community Church, based in Tennessee. It is not registered as a nonprofit organization.
"They're the same folks that ordained Jim Bakker after he got in trouble," DeVol explained, referring to a formerly popular television evangelist whose career and marriage were destroyed by a sex and accounting scandal in the 1980s. (Bakker remarried and began a new ministry after spending 5 years in prison for accounting fraud.)
DeVol met his second wife, Vangie, while serving as a medical missionary for seven years in the Philippines. Divorce is illegal there, and DeVol said he wishes America would follow suit.
"We don't talk of divorce in our country," Vangie said. "When I get married ... to me, I'm married, you know?"
Hearing this, her husband gave a delighted sigh.
"Isn't that precious?" he said. "The cultural shock was coming back from the Philippines, not the other way around -- I told people it was like I left heaven and went to hell."
DeVol -- whose name is "loved" spelled backward, as he likes to point out -- started his first "no divorce counseling" practice in Springfield, Missouri in 1994, inspired by a picture drawn by the 10-year-old daughter of a couple he was counseling. The words were misspelled, but the message was clear: "No Devorice Alowed!"
"Little kids hate divorce, and they shouldn't have to go through it," he said. "But most people just don't realize there's an alternative."
He believes couples are too quick to give up on marriage when they encounter conflict, and that no-fault divorce laws have made it too easy to renege on a lifetime committment.
"It's like, 'I don't like the way he opened the cereal box, I'm getting a divorce!' " he said, throwing his hands up in frustration.
DeVol left Missouri two years ago, after losing his psychology license in a court fight that he views as a spiritual battle.
The state attorney general's office lodged a complaint against him for praying and discussing demon possession with clients. Those charges were dropped, but several others were not, including issues like overbilling patients and using outdated diagnostic tools.
"We see this as a conflict between the secular and sacred priesthood," DeVol said. "We prevailed on all the religious charges, but ended up with technical charges against me."
The State Committee of Psychologists found him subject to disciplinary action for "incompetency, misconduct and gross negligence" in November 2005, and revoked his license.
DeVol said his license was then temporarily reinstated because his misconduct involved no physical harm to clients, but his request for permanent reinstatement was denied last month. He is appealing that decision. In the meantime, he is operating legally in New York state as a Christian counselor, not claiming to be a licensed psychologist.
In Glens Falls, he advertises in the family counseling section of the Yellow Pages with the words "NO DIVORCE" underlined in bold beneath his name. He currently works one day a week from a small office on Glen Street, and has another small office near his home in Pottersville, but hopes to inspire a larger effort.
"I started an idea, and the idea worked. So I'm hankering to get it going in the rest of New York state, and maybe franchise it nationally," he said, still sounding like a Southerner.
Dr. Paul Etu, a licensed psychologist who practices marriage and family counseling in Glens Falls, said he thinks DeVol's idea is "a laudable concept in most situations," but that he believes divorce still has a place in this society.
"Early in my career, we kind of had that drilled into us, too -- that you try to keep marriages together at all costs," he said. "But I also realize that marriages sometimes happen for the wrong reason ... and I think there are good reasons to have a divorce, especially if there is significant abuse in the family."
In DeVol's view, marriage is an inherently Judeo-Christian concept, because it relies on the principle of forgiveness. When both partners share similar moral values, he sees no reason they can't work things out. Even homosexuality, he believes, is a spirit that can be cast out with prayer.
"I worked with a transvestite minister once," he said. "I told his wife to tell him she loved him. She said, 'I don't.' I said, 'Well, the Bible tells you to.' So she looked in his eyes and said it over and over, and golly, it worked. I had to leave them alone after a while, they got so wrapped up in each other!"
DeVol occasionally works with non-Christian clients, and even counseled one unmarried couple seeking to salvage a committed live-in relationship, he said.
"A lot of it is just traditional marriage counseling, getting people to look at each other, tune in and get connected to what the other is feeling," he said. "It's so gratifying to see people kiss and make up."
--
11/20/06
Thomas DeVol does not believe in divorce, ever.
Not even if a couple has stopped loving each other. ("What about for better or worse?") Not even if a spouse cheats. ("Adultery can be forgiven.") Not even if a husband beats his wife. ("If he committed assault, he can go to jail, but don't get a divorce.")
DeVol, 62, is a Christian minister with a Ph.D. in counseling psychology who specializes in what he calls "no divorce" marriage counseling.
"The way that our society is coming apart is all about the breakdown of the family," he said. "I'm zealous about keeping families together at all costs."
DeVol grew up in Glens Falls and recently returned to the area after his license to practice psychology was revoked by the state of Missouri, although he says that wasn't his motivation for
moving. *(next-day correction: he moved after the state filed charges against him, but before his license was revoked in March 2006).
"The Adirondacks are my idea of paradise, and I always wanted to retire here," he said. "But I can't just sit on my hands in my retirement."
While some retirees are content to take up gardening or shuffleboard, DeVol's endeavor is a bit more ambitious: He wants to eliminate divorce from American society.
"The default setting in our society now is to be single. It's countercultural to be married," he said. "It's almost like divorce is in the drinking water here!"
He speaks from experience -- his first marriage ended in divorce after 10 turbulent years. Although it was turbulent from the start -- "my wife started running off with other men five weeks after the wedding," he said -- he now thinks there was no excuse for divorcing and splitting their young daughter's life between two households.
"If I'd had a lot more maturity back then, I could have made the marriage work," he said. "Couldn't I have forgiven her for adultery? When I think of the pain that caused my poor little girl ..."
He fell silent, looking at a framed portrait of his daughter, who is now married and living in Cleveland, Ohio.
"The breakup of that marriage was really the impetus for the no-divorce clinics," he explained. "I don't know if I would say it's God's plan, but I think I made a bad choice and God made something good out of it."
His church denomination, the Assemblies of God, does not ordain divorced individuals, so his ministerial credentials are with a group called New Covenant Community Church, based in Tennessee. It is not registered as a nonprofit organization.
"They're the same folks that ordained Jim Bakker after he got in trouble," DeVol explained, referring to a formerly popular television evangelist whose career and marriage were destroyed by a sex and accounting scandal in the 1980s. (Bakker remarried and began a new ministry after spending 5 years in prison for accounting fraud.)
DeVol met his second wife, Vangie, while serving as a medical missionary for seven years in the Philippines. Divorce is illegal there, and DeVol said he wishes America would follow suit.
"We don't talk of divorce in our country," Vangie said. "When I get married ... to me, I'm married, you know?"
Hearing this, her husband gave a delighted sigh.
"Isn't that precious?" he said. "The cultural shock was coming back from the Philippines, not the other way around -- I told people it was like I left heaven and went to hell."
DeVol -- whose name is "loved" spelled backward, as he likes to point out -- started his first "no divorce counseling" practice in Springfield, Missouri in 1994, inspired by a picture drawn by the 10-year-old daughter of a couple he was counseling. The words were misspelled, but the message was clear: "No Devorice Alowed!"
"Little kids hate divorce, and they shouldn't have to go through it," he said. "But most people just don't realize there's an alternative."
He believes couples are too quick to give up on marriage when they encounter conflict, and that no-fault divorce laws have made it too easy to renege on a lifetime committment.
"It's like, 'I don't like the way he opened the cereal box, I'm getting a divorce!' " he said, throwing his hands up in frustration.
DeVol left Missouri two years ago, after losing his psychology license in a court fight that he views as a spiritual battle.
The state attorney general's office lodged a complaint against him for praying and discussing demon possession with clients. Those charges were dropped, but several others were not, including issues like overbilling patients and using outdated diagnostic tools.
"We see this as a conflict between the secular and sacred priesthood," DeVol said. "We prevailed on all the religious charges, but ended up with technical charges against me."
The State Committee of Psychologists found him subject to disciplinary action for "incompetency, misconduct and gross negligence" in November 2005, and revoked his license.
DeVol said his license was then temporarily reinstated because his misconduct involved no physical harm to clients, but his request for permanent reinstatement was denied last month. He is appealing that decision. In the meantime, he is operating legally in New York state as a Christian counselor, not claiming to be a licensed psychologist.
In Glens Falls, he advertises in the family counseling section of the Yellow Pages with the words "NO DIVORCE" underlined in bold beneath his name. He currently works one day a week from a small office on Glen Street, and has another small office near his home in Pottersville, but hopes to inspire a larger effort.
"I started an idea, and the idea worked. So I'm hankering to get it going in the rest of New York state, and maybe franchise it nationally," he said, still sounding like a Southerner.
Dr. Paul Etu, a licensed psychologist who practices marriage and family counseling in Glens Falls, said he thinks DeVol's idea is "a laudable concept in most situations," but that he believes divorce still has a place in this society.
"Early in my career, we kind of had that drilled into us, too -- that you try to keep marriages together at all costs," he said. "But I also realize that marriages sometimes happen for the wrong reason ... and I think there are good reasons to have a divorce, especially if there is significant abuse in the family."
In DeVol's view, marriage is an inherently Judeo-Christian concept, because it relies on the principle of forgiveness. When both partners share similar moral values, he sees no reason they can't work things out. Even homosexuality, he believes, is a spirit that can be cast out with prayer.
"I worked with a transvestite minister once," he said. "I told his wife to tell him she loved him. She said, 'I don't.' I said, 'Well, the Bible tells you to.' So she looked in his eyes and said it over and over, and golly, it worked. I had to leave them alone after a while, they got so wrapped up in each other!"
DeVol occasionally works with non-Christian clients, and even counseled one unmarried couple seeking to salvage a committed live-in relationship, he said.
"A lot of it is just traditional marriage counseling, getting people to look at each other, tune in and get connected to what the other is feeling," he said. "It's so gratifying to see people kiss and make up."
--
Friday, November 24, 2006
Is plain old turkey going out of style?
Published in The Post-Star (D1)
11/22/06
Thanksgiving and traditional turkey have a long history together, but the holiday has been flirting with some younger dishes lately. Here's a peek at a few things that the Pilgrims certainly never tried:
1) Turducken
Hannaford Supermarkets just introduced something called "turducken" to its holiday meat selections, with a press release calling it "a unique alternative" and "new twist" on tradition.
As spokeswoman Caren Epstein explained, turducken is a combination of deboned turkey, duck and chicken breasts layered with stuffing, based on a Louisiana specialty. Hannaford is offering either a Louisiana-style version stuffed with cornbread and jambalaya or the more familiar flavor of cranberry-apple stuffing.
"Turducken will make for an extraordinary meal, as well as for some extraordinary conversation, this holiday season," Epstein said.
Don't cry, turkey. Those other birds are merely accessories to your lovely flavor -- they're not calling it Duchickey or Chitucken, are they? That's got to mean something.
2)Tofurky
Don Halliday walked into Pure 'n Simple Natural Foods Store in Glens Falls on Monday afternoon with a singular mission. Squinting at a few words on a sheet of paper in his hand, he spoke to the store's owner, Paul Savard.
"I'm looking for a ... toe-fur-key?" he said, pronouncing it cautiously.
They had one left, Savard said, reaching for a box from the cooler. It was a Tofurky Feast, including a roast, gravy, stuffing, dumplings and "wishstix" -- all made without meat, dairy or eggs.
Halliday explained that his 22-year-old daughter, Erin, is a vegetarian who had already hunted unsuccessfully for tofurkey in other stores.
Tofurky Roast is made from a blend of wheat protein, tofu and beans, seasoned with soy sauce and other spices to give it a flavor like meat. It has less fat, cholesterol and calories than turkey, and some people believe it tastes just as good.
"Seasonings mean everything," Savard explained. "It's a little bit different texture, but if you prepare it with the traditional gravies and sauces or herbs, it's got a very pleasant flavor. You'd never know it was tofu."
Halliday was pleased to find what his daughter wanted, but said he didn't plan to steal any bites from her plate on Thursday.
"I'll stick with the real thing," he said.
3) Who needs turkey?
For vegetarians and others who simply dislike turkey, Putnam Market in Saratoga Springs offers a couple of alternative main courses. Their prepared lasagna -- featuring butternut squash and mushrooms in bechamel sauce -- is always popular, said owner Catharine Hamilton. Customers can pre-order a pan (it's too late now) or buy it by the piece (still some left!) for $5 a serving. Their recipe, borrowed from Epicurious.com, is listed below.
Salmon is another tasty option, and many vegetarians make an exception for fish. Hamilton recommended coating salmon in herbs and cream cheese and baking it in a puff pastry, like beef Wellington. That dish is not on the regular menu at Putnam Market, but can be special-ordered.
"We have one customer that's ordered it every year for as long as I can remember," she said.
"And I know a few people who are going to be eating roast beef or chicken."
But the majority of customers, she said, are faithful to traditional turkey with sides like cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and stuffing.
"Thanksgiving's one of those holidays where certain people will never deviate from the menu," Hamilton said. "It doesn't get too wacky."
--
Butternut Squash & Mushroom Lasagna
Serves 8
1/4 c. unsalted butter
2 1/2 c. onions, chopped
1/2 lb (3 c.) baby bella/crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 lbs (5 1/2 c.) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, sliced about 1/4-inch thick
1 can (14 oz) vegetable broth
4 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
4 Tbsp. fresh sage, sliced
3 containers (15 oz. each) fresh ricotta cheese
4 c. grated mozzarella cheese
2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
4 large eggs
Olive oil
1 package (9 oz) no-boil lasagna noodles
Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, sautee about 8 minutes until soft. Increase heat to high, add mushrooms and sautee about 3 minutes until tender, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside mixture in a bowl.
Add squash, broth, 3 Tbsp each of thyme and sage to skillet. Cover and simmer over medium heat until squash is tender (6 minutes). Uncover, cook until squash is soft but retains shape (5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.
Mix ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella, 1-1/2 cup Parmesan and remaining thyme and sage in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in eggs.
Brush 13x9x2 inch baking dish (glass or ceramic) with olive oil and spread 1 cup cheese mixture in bottom. Arrange 3 noodles on top. Add another layer of cheese mixture (about 1 3/4 cups), then a layer of squash mixture (1-1/3 cups). Sprinkle with mushrooms (1/2 cup) and mozzarella (1 cup).
Arrange 3 more noodles on top, then a layer of cheese mixture (1-3/4 cups), half of remaining squash mixture, mushrooms (1/2 cup), and remaining mozzarella. Repeat with 3 noodles, cheese (1 3/4 cups), remaining squash and remaining mushrooms. Top with three noodles. Spread remaining cheese mixture on top and sprinkle with rest of Parmesan.
This can be assembled one day ahead and refrigerated. To cook, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover pan with oiled foil and bake for 35 minutes, then uncover and bake about 25 minutes longer until heated through. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Source: www.epicurious.com, also available pre-made from Putnam Market for $5 a portion.
11/22/06
Thanksgiving and traditional turkey have a long history together, but the holiday has been flirting with some younger dishes lately. Here's a peek at a few things that the Pilgrims certainly never tried:
1) Turducken
Hannaford Supermarkets just introduced something called "turducken" to its holiday meat selections, with a press release calling it "a unique alternative" and "new twist" on tradition.
As spokeswoman Caren Epstein explained, turducken is a combination of deboned turkey, duck and chicken breasts layered with stuffing, based on a Louisiana specialty. Hannaford is offering either a Louisiana-style version stuffed with cornbread and jambalaya or the more familiar flavor of cranberry-apple stuffing.
"Turducken will make for an extraordinary meal, as well as for some extraordinary conversation, this holiday season," Epstein said.
Don't cry, turkey. Those other birds are merely accessories to your lovely flavor -- they're not calling it Duchickey or Chitucken, are they? That's got to mean something.
2)Tofurky
Don Halliday walked into Pure 'n Simple Natural Foods Store in Glens Falls on Monday afternoon with a singular mission. Squinting at a few words on a sheet of paper in his hand, he spoke to the store's owner, Paul Savard.
"I'm looking for a ... toe-fur-key?" he said, pronouncing it cautiously.
They had one left, Savard said, reaching for a box from the cooler. It was a Tofurky Feast, including a roast, gravy, stuffing, dumplings and "wishstix" -- all made without meat, dairy or eggs.
Halliday explained that his 22-year-old daughter, Erin, is a vegetarian who had already hunted unsuccessfully for tofurkey in other stores.
Tofurky Roast is made from a blend of wheat protein, tofu and beans, seasoned with soy sauce and other spices to give it a flavor like meat. It has less fat, cholesterol and calories than turkey, and some people believe it tastes just as good.
"Seasonings mean everything," Savard explained. "It's a little bit different texture, but if you prepare it with the traditional gravies and sauces or herbs, it's got a very pleasant flavor. You'd never know it was tofu."
Halliday was pleased to find what his daughter wanted, but said he didn't plan to steal any bites from her plate on Thursday.
"I'll stick with the real thing," he said.
3) Who needs turkey?
For vegetarians and others who simply dislike turkey, Putnam Market in Saratoga Springs offers a couple of alternative main courses. Their prepared lasagna -- featuring butternut squash and mushrooms in bechamel sauce -- is always popular, said owner Catharine Hamilton. Customers can pre-order a pan (it's too late now) or buy it by the piece (still some left!) for $5 a serving. Their recipe, borrowed from Epicurious.com, is listed below.
Salmon is another tasty option, and many vegetarians make an exception for fish. Hamilton recommended coating salmon in herbs and cream cheese and baking it in a puff pastry, like beef Wellington. That dish is not on the regular menu at Putnam Market, but can be special-ordered.
"We have one customer that's ordered it every year for as long as I can remember," she said.
"And I know a few people who are going to be eating roast beef or chicken."
But the majority of customers, she said, are faithful to traditional turkey with sides like cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and stuffing.
"Thanksgiving's one of those holidays where certain people will never deviate from the menu," Hamilton said. "It doesn't get too wacky."
--
Butternut Squash & Mushroom Lasagna
Serves 8
1/4 c. unsalted butter
2 1/2 c. onions, chopped
1/2 lb (3 c.) baby bella/crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 lbs (5 1/2 c.) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, sliced about 1/4-inch thick
1 can (14 oz) vegetable broth
4 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
4 Tbsp. fresh sage, sliced
3 containers (15 oz. each) fresh ricotta cheese
4 c. grated mozzarella cheese
2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
4 large eggs
Olive oil
1 package (9 oz) no-boil lasagna noodles
Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, sautee about 8 minutes until soft. Increase heat to high, add mushrooms and sautee about 3 minutes until tender, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside mixture in a bowl.
Add squash, broth, 3 Tbsp each of thyme and sage to skillet. Cover and simmer over medium heat until squash is tender (6 minutes). Uncover, cook until squash is soft but retains shape (5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.
Mix ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella, 1-1/2 cup Parmesan and remaining thyme and sage in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in eggs.
Brush 13x9x2 inch baking dish (glass or ceramic) with olive oil and spread 1 cup cheese mixture in bottom. Arrange 3 noodles on top. Add another layer of cheese mixture (about 1 3/4 cups), then a layer of squash mixture (1-1/3 cups). Sprinkle with mushrooms (1/2 cup) and mozzarella (1 cup).
Arrange 3 more noodles on top, then a layer of cheese mixture (1-3/4 cups), half of remaining squash mixture, mushrooms (1/2 cup), and remaining mozzarella. Repeat with 3 noodles, cheese (1 3/4 cups), remaining squash and remaining mushrooms. Top with three noodles. Spread remaining cheese mixture on top and sprinkle with rest of Parmesan.
This can be assembled one day ahead and refrigerated. To cook, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover pan with oiled foil and bake for 35 minutes, then uncover and bake about 25 minutes longer until heated through. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Source: www.epicurious.com, also available pre-made from Putnam Market for $5 a portion.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
how to sound smart watching a football game
Published on 11/23/2006 in THE POST-STAR Go
(co-authored by Charles Fiegl)
It's that time of year, when family and friends gather together around the table and give thanks ... although in a lot of houses, we're talking a coffeetable and being grateful for touchdowns.
If you aren't a football fan, suggest turning off the television and playing Pictionary instead.
When your relatives are done laughing at you, join them on the couch and try using a few of these comments throughout the game. You'll fit right in.
1) "That guard is holding!" It's exactly what it sounds like -- players often grab each other during the game, and it's often against the rules. Try to resist synonyms. "He's goosing the other guy!" may be true, but it won't earn you any respect.
2) "Come on, Ref!" Keep an eye on the guy in black and white stripes (actually, you should probably just retire to the kitchen if you don't even know what a referee is) and comment after he makes a call. If you're not too sure what he did, use a neutral tone of voice that could be interpreted as either sincere or sarcastic.
3) "The pads are really popping out there." Translation: "Those burly guys in padded tights keep running into each other, and it sure looks like it hurts."
4) "Everybody's clutching and grabbing! Nobody's tackling!" Sounding like legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi never fails to impress. Obviously, don't say this right after a linebacker knocks down a running back for a loss. Duh.
5) "That's six points for my fantasy team!" Or, as I heard one woman call it recently, "fake team." Be sure to stuff some nachos in your mouth to avoid follow-up questions.
6) "Do you think Favre will retire?" As in Brett Favre, quarterback for the Packers since 1992. This question has been a hot topic for sports commentators this season, so even if you're not watching a Packers game, you can toss it into conversation during a commercial break. Wait for an answer, then reply, "Yeah, that's what I think too."
7) "Anyone need a beer?" A guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Resist the urge to add, "... or a cosmo?"
(co-authored by Charles Fiegl)
It's that time of year, when family and friends gather together around the table and give thanks ... although in a lot of houses, we're talking a coffeetable and being grateful for touchdowns.
If you aren't a football fan, suggest turning off the television and playing Pictionary instead.
When your relatives are done laughing at you, join them on the couch and try using a few of these comments throughout the game. You'll fit right in.
1) "That guard is holding!" It's exactly what it sounds like -- players often grab each other during the game, and it's often against the rules. Try to resist synonyms. "He's goosing the other guy!" may be true, but it won't earn you any respect.
2) "Come on, Ref!" Keep an eye on the guy in black and white stripes (actually, you should probably just retire to the kitchen if you don't even know what a referee is) and comment after he makes a call. If you're not too sure what he did, use a neutral tone of voice that could be interpreted as either sincere or sarcastic.
3) "The pads are really popping out there." Translation: "Those burly guys in padded tights keep running into each other, and it sure looks like it hurts."
4) "Everybody's clutching and grabbing! Nobody's tackling!" Sounding like legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi never fails to impress. Obviously, don't say this right after a linebacker knocks down a running back for a loss. Duh.
5) "That's six points for my fantasy team!" Or, as I heard one woman call it recently, "fake team." Be sure to stuff some nachos in your mouth to avoid follow-up questions.
6) "Do you think Favre will retire?" As in Brett Favre, quarterback for the Packers since 1992. This question has been a hot topic for sports commentators this season, so even if you're not watching a Packers game, you can toss it into conversation during a commercial break. Wait for an answer, then reply, "Yeah, that's what I think too."
7) "Anyone need a beer?" A guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Resist the urge to add, "... or a cosmo?"
Monday, November 20, 2006
Melville's local ties
Published in The Post-Star (D1)
11/18/06
Albany Academy boasts several famous alumni, but one of the most famous was a dropout.
Herman Melville, author of "Moby Dick," attended the boys academy from 1830 to 1832, until his family’s financial woes forced him out of school and into the working world at 12 years old.
So Melville would probably be astonished to learn his alma mater is throwing him a major party this weekend.
"He was not here very long, but we’re taking the right to claim at least part of him," said Caroline Mason, head of schools for the girls and boys Albany academies.
Mason conceived the idea for what grew into a three-day celebration called "Why Melville Matters Now," involving everything from lectures to art exhibits and dances inspired by "Moby Dick." The University at Albany’s Center for Humanities, Arts and Technosciences co-sponsored the event, and several local cultural institutions worked together to add interdisciplinary elements.
Intellectual stars like Andrew Delbanco, Stanley Crouch and R.L. Lane agreed to speak, and dozens of scholars from as far away as Europe planned to attend the symposium, delivering papers on esoteric topics like "Archipelagic Thinking in Melville and Deleuze;" "What’s With the White Jacket?: The Plight of the Individual on the World Frigate;" and "Tune In, Turn On, Drop Out: 1850s Herman Melville as Big Daddy Countercultural Beat Generation."
The Albany Institute of History and Art installed an exhibit of Frank Stella’s paintings inspired by "Moby Dick," and the academy installed a piece by artists Richard Garrison and William Bergman featuring a three-story-high whale and pen.
About 150 people signed up to read aloud a section of "Moby Dick" during a 24-hour reading marathon that ends at about noon today, with novelist William Kennedy of Albany and television personality Andrew Rooney of Lake George serving as famous bookends to open and close the reading.
Starbucks, the national coffee chain, offered to donate coffee for the reading when Burns suggested that the chain might have taken its name from a character in "Moby Dick."
In other words, this party became a project almost as large as Melville’s legendary white whale.
"We’ve never done an event on this scale before," said Carol Burns, communications director for the academies. "Everybody is excited about it."
So, why does Melville matter now?
As Mason pointed out, his work still shows up frequently in popular culture, inspiring songs, movies, plays and other creative endeavors.
"Besides the fact that he’s a great American novelist, I think he posed a lot of questions in the early days — about theology, existence, social issues — that are still being asked today," she reflected. "He was ahead of his time."
~~~~
Melville’s life
The future author of "Moby Dick" entered the world as Herman Melvill on Aug. 1, 1819, in New York City.
His mother, Maria, was the granddaughter of Gen. Peter Gansevoort, the Revolutionary War hero for whom the Northumberland hamlet of Gansevoort is named.
Maria married Allan Melvill, an ambitious young merchant from a Scottish family in Boston, and had eight children — Herman was the third. They lived in Manhattan until Allan’s business failures forced the family back north to stay with relatives.
Young Herman and several of his siblings enrolled at the Albany Academy prep school about 1830, but the family was bankrupt by the time Allan died of pneumonia in 1832, and 12-year-old Herman was pulled from school to work as a clerk in the New York State Bank (founded by his grandfather Herman).
Perhaps to separate them from the shame of bankruptcy, the family added an "e" to its last name around that time.
Herman got hooked on maritime adventure as a teenager, working as a cabin boy on a voyage from New York to England and back. After a few years as a schoolteacher, he set sail for the South Seas in 1841 and stayed abroad for three years, living among various island cultures. He wrote several books about his travels, including "Typee," "Omoo," and "Redburn," which were fairly successful.
He married Elizabeth Shaw in 1847 and they lived in Pittsfield, Mass., for many years, where he wrote "Moby Dick" and "Pierre." The novels were unpopular during his lifetime (less than 3,000 copies of "Moby Dick" sold) and he turned to writing poetry, with similarly discouraging results.
He supported himself in later years by working as a customs inspector in New York City, where he died on Sept. 28, 1891—- with so little fame that an obituary in The New York Times listed his name as Henry Melville.
Several decades later, critics and biographers began a revival of public interest in his work, and he is now considered one of the greatest American authors.
~~~~~~~~~~
(Companion piece)
NORTHUMBERLAND -- The gloomy bulk of the old Gansevoort Mansion would fit right into the landscape of "Moby Dick," the massive masterpiece by 19th-century American author Herman Melville.
The four-story wooden structure is as simple and sturdy as an old whaling ship, with peeling paint that evokes the grayish blues and whites of a northern sea.
The house was built about two centuries ago by either Gen.l Peter Gansevoort or his son Herman, who fathered another Herman, the author’s uncle. The author’s mother, Maria Gansevoort Melville, inherited the property in 1862.
The youngest Herman visited the rural estate many times throughout his life, and may have written portions of his works here. An original manuscript of his first novel "Typee" was discovered on the property in 1983 (the New York State Library bought it for about $400,000 at auction).
The property was sold out of the family in the late 19th century, and it was the headquarters of the local Masonic Lodge for the second half of the 20th century.
The current owner, Lynn Ruhman, bought it from the Masons in 1995 with the idea of turning it into a bed-and-breakfast.
"It just never happened, it’s too much work," Ruhman said, adding that she plans to sell the property soon. "But if I had done it, I would have named one of the rooms after Melville."
She lives in the bottom half of the house with her daughter and boyfriend, and runs a small hair salon called "Emotional Rescue" on the ground floor.
A tour through the upper floors reveals traces of its earlier history — the thick-planked wood floors and heavy-paned windows probably looked the same in Melville’s day — but it’s definitely a fixer-upper.
Coincidentally, Ruhman’s previous residence was the first home built by General Peter Gansevoort, on land confiscated from Royalists after the Revolutionary War.
"I’ve had two 200-year-old houses, and that’s enough," she said, laughing.
____________________________
11/18/06
Albany Academy boasts several famous alumni, but one of the most famous was a dropout.
Herman Melville, author of "Moby Dick," attended the boys academy from 1830 to 1832, until his family’s financial woes forced him out of school and into the working world at 12 years old.
So Melville would probably be astonished to learn his alma mater is throwing him a major party this weekend.
"He was not here very long, but we’re taking the right to claim at least part of him," said Caroline Mason, head of schools for the girls and boys Albany academies.
Mason conceived the idea for what grew into a three-day celebration called "Why Melville Matters Now," involving everything from lectures to art exhibits and dances inspired by "Moby Dick." The University at Albany’s Center for Humanities, Arts and Technosciences co-sponsored the event, and several local cultural institutions worked together to add interdisciplinary elements.
Intellectual stars like Andrew Delbanco, Stanley Crouch and R.L. Lane agreed to speak, and dozens of scholars from as far away as Europe planned to attend the symposium, delivering papers on esoteric topics like "Archipelagic Thinking in Melville and Deleuze;" "What’s With the White Jacket?: The Plight of the Individual on the World Frigate;" and "Tune In, Turn On, Drop Out: 1850s Herman Melville as Big Daddy Countercultural Beat Generation."
The Albany Institute of History and Art installed an exhibit of Frank Stella’s paintings inspired by "Moby Dick," and the academy installed a piece by artists Richard Garrison and William Bergman featuring a three-story-high whale and pen.
About 150 people signed up to read aloud a section of "Moby Dick" during a 24-hour reading marathon that ends at about noon today, with novelist William Kennedy of Albany and television personality Andrew Rooney of Lake George serving as famous bookends to open and close the reading.
Starbucks, the national coffee chain, offered to donate coffee for the reading when Burns suggested that the chain might have taken its name from a character in "Moby Dick."
In other words, this party became a project almost as large as Melville’s legendary white whale.
"We’ve never done an event on this scale before," said Carol Burns, communications director for the academies. "Everybody is excited about it."
So, why does Melville matter now?
As Mason pointed out, his work still shows up frequently in popular culture, inspiring songs, movies, plays and other creative endeavors.
"Besides the fact that he’s a great American novelist, I think he posed a lot of questions in the early days — about theology, existence, social issues — that are still being asked today," she reflected. "He was ahead of his time."
~~~~
Melville’s life
The future author of "Moby Dick" entered the world as Herman Melvill on Aug. 1, 1819, in New York City.
His mother, Maria, was the granddaughter of Gen. Peter Gansevoort, the Revolutionary War hero for whom the Northumberland hamlet of Gansevoort is named.
Maria married Allan Melvill, an ambitious young merchant from a Scottish family in Boston, and had eight children — Herman was the third. They lived in Manhattan until Allan’s business failures forced the family back north to stay with relatives.
Young Herman and several of his siblings enrolled at the Albany Academy prep school about 1830, but the family was bankrupt by the time Allan died of pneumonia in 1832, and 12-year-old Herman was pulled from school to work as a clerk in the New York State Bank (founded by his grandfather Herman).
Perhaps to separate them from the shame of bankruptcy, the family added an "e" to its last name around that time.
Herman got hooked on maritime adventure as a teenager, working as a cabin boy on a voyage from New York to England and back. After a few years as a schoolteacher, he set sail for the South Seas in 1841 and stayed abroad for three years, living among various island cultures. He wrote several books about his travels, including "Typee," "Omoo," and "Redburn," which were fairly successful.
He married Elizabeth Shaw in 1847 and they lived in Pittsfield, Mass., for many years, where he wrote "Moby Dick" and "Pierre." The novels were unpopular during his lifetime (less than 3,000 copies of "Moby Dick" sold) and he turned to writing poetry, with similarly discouraging results.
He supported himself in later years by working as a customs inspector in New York City, where he died on Sept. 28, 1891—- with so little fame that an obituary in The New York Times listed his name as Henry Melville.
Several decades later, critics and biographers began a revival of public interest in his work, and he is now considered one of the greatest American authors.
~~~~~~~~~~
(Companion piece)
NORTHUMBERLAND -- The gloomy bulk of the old Gansevoort Mansion would fit right into the landscape of "Moby Dick," the massive masterpiece by 19th-century American author Herman Melville.
The four-story wooden structure is as simple and sturdy as an old whaling ship, with peeling paint that evokes the grayish blues and whites of a northern sea.
The house was built about two centuries ago by either Gen.l Peter Gansevoort or his son Herman, who fathered another Herman, the author’s uncle. The author’s mother, Maria Gansevoort Melville, inherited the property in 1862.
The youngest Herman visited the rural estate many times throughout his life, and may have written portions of his works here. An original manuscript of his first novel "Typee" was discovered on the property in 1983 (the New York State Library bought it for about $400,000 at auction).
The property was sold out of the family in the late 19th century, and it was the headquarters of the local Masonic Lodge for the second half of the 20th century.
The current owner, Lynn Ruhman, bought it from the Masons in 1995 with the idea of turning it into a bed-and-breakfast.
"It just never happened, it’s too much work," Ruhman said, adding that she plans to sell the property soon. "But if I had done it, I would have named one of the rooms after Melville."
She lives in the bottom half of the house with her daughter and boyfriend, and runs a small hair salon called "Emotional Rescue" on the ground floor.
A tour through the upper floors reveals traces of its earlier history — the thick-planked wood floors and heavy-paned windows probably looked the same in Melville’s day — but it’s definitely a fixer-upper.
Coincidentally, Ruhman’s previous residence was the first home built by General Peter Gansevoort, on land confiscated from Royalists after the Revolutionary War.
"I’ve had two 200-year-old houses, and that’s enough," she said, laughing.
____________________________
Friday, November 17, 2006
Waiting, and waiting, to wed
Published on 11/16/2006 in THE POST-STAR's Go
Here comes the bride, her hair's getting white ...
OK, not quite, but Census Bureau data shows that the marriage age has been steadily rising for Americans in recent decades. Fifty years ago, the average age at first marriage was about 20 for women, 22.5 for men. These days, it's a little older than 25 and 27, respectively.
If that still sounds young, take a peek at the rest of the globe: North America now has the oldest first-time brides of any region in the world (men, the Australians have you beat by a few months), according to recent United Nations study.
Local people who shared their thoughts on this topic had similar ideas about what might be causing this trend. Dr. Paul Etu, a Glens Falls psychologist, said money is a major reason that many couples he counsels are waiting to get married.
"By far and away, the No. 1 issue is finances," he said. "They want to be more financially secure before they get into the marriage."
That was one of the factors that kept Natalie Houde, 32, of Glens Falls, from getting married before this year. She grew up "with parents who played gender-specific roles, with the father as bread winner and mother as domestic housekeeper," and didn't want to feel trapped in the same pattern.
"I was careful to set up relationships where I did not financially rely on the men I dated," she said. "After completing a master's degree and really evaluating the type of man I wanted in my life, I consciously sought someone to marry and have children with."
She ended up marrying a childhood friend, Eric, after the two reconnected through their families. It's only been a few months, she said, but so far, "I really enjoy it."
Krista Klock, 22, of Glens Falls, lives with her boyfriend of three years and said they won't be ready for marriage for at least two more years.
"More and more people are getting married and getting divorced," she said. "With these statistics in mind, most thoughtful people are waiting to make sure their partner is, in fact, someone they are going to be able to spend the rest of their lives with."
Erica Butto, a single 24-year-old business owner, agrees that "divorce is as popular as skinny jeans" in today's society, and she doesn't want to be part of the trend. But lately, she's been questioning the value of getting married in the first place.
"Like most young gals, I dreamt of being Cinderella," she said, admitting that she still checks out the window displays in the local bridal shop whenever she drives past. "The wedding seems to be the exciting thing. But once the presents are opened, and the thank-you letters are sent and the cake is all eaten, it just seems like a regular relationship, only with shared bank accounts."
Etu said that while society's view of marriage may be changing, many people still view it as important.
"I think there's an awful lot of people, men and women, who look at marriage as a stabilizing factor," he said. "And almost everybody who comes in here tells me that they want to get married at some point."
---
SIDEBAR:
Dr. Paul Etu, a Glens Falls psychologist who counsels many couples, offers these tips for individuals considering marriage:
* Don't compromise. Make a list of what you consider essential attributes in a life partner (i.e. a college degree, a career, a pet poodle) and what you definitely don't want to spend the rest of your life with (i.e. a smoker, a polygamist, a pet poodle). If your current boyfriend or girlfriend doesn't match the list, walk away and find someone who does.
* Look for red flags. Even though the average marriage age is rising, Etu said he still meets many couples who seem to be rushing into a lifetime commitment. You don't need to nitpick, but you should notice negative patterns (Does she binge drink every weekend? Does he call his mom every morning for wardrobe advice?) that could cause serious long-term damage to the relationship.
* Talk money. Developing a shared financial strategy before you begin to share a checkbook will make things a lot easier for both partners.
* Make time for each other. Etu recommends that couples pick one night a week to turn off the television and discuss practical matters (paying bills, planning a vacation) and anything else that is important to the relationship.
---
BY THE NUMBERS
Mrs. Minority?: There are about 3.6 million married women in the United States, and 2.4 million women (age 15 and older) who have never been married. Another million are divorced or separated, and widows bring the total to about 4.2 million women who are not in an active marriage.
Maybe Demi and Ashton are onto something: Women generally live longer than men -- the life expectancy of an American women is 80.1, compared to 74.8 for men -- but in the average American marriage, the groom is two to three years older than the bride. That helps explain why there are more than 800,000 widows and only 195,000 widowers in the nation.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics and U.S. Census Bureau 2005 American Community Survey
Another good reason to wait: The average cost of a wedding is $26,800, including $1,841 for wedding attire; $2,337 for the ceremony; $1,739 for jewelry; $1,136 for flowers; $1,104 for wedding favors and gifts; and $13,692 for the wedding reception.
Source: The 2006 Wedding Statistics and Wedding Market Report
Here comes the bride, her hair's getting white ...
OK, not quite, but Census Bureau data shows that the marriage age has been steadily rising for Americans in recent decades. Fifty years ago, the average age at first marriage was about 20 for women, 22.5 for men. These days, it's a little older than 25 and 27, respectively.
If that still sounds young, take a peek at the rest of the globe: North America now has the oldest first-time brides of any region in the world (men, the Australians have you beat by a few months), according to recent United Nations study.
Local people who shared their thoughts on this topic had similar ideas about what might be causing this trend. Dr. Paul Etu, a Glens Falls psychologist, said money is a major reason that many couples he counsels are waiting to get married.
"By far and away, the No. 1 issue is finances," he said. "They want to be more financially secure before they get into the marriage."
That was one of the factors that kept Natalie Houde, 32, of Glens Falls, from getting married before this year. She grew up "with parents who played gender-specific roles, with the father as bread winner and mother as domestic housekeeper," and didn't want to feel trapped in the same pattern.
"I was careful to set up relationships where I did not financially rely on the men I dated," she said. "After completing a master's degree and really evaluating the type of man I wanted in my life, I consciously sought someone to marry and have children with."
She ended up marrying a childhood friend, Eric, after the two reconnected through their families. It's only been a few months, she said, but so far, "I really enjoy it."
Krista Klock, 22, of Glens Falls, lives with her boyfriend of three years and said they won't be ready for marriage for at least two more years.
"More and more people are getting married and getting divorced," she said. "With these statistics in mind, most thoughtful people are waiting to make sure their partner is, in fact, someone they are going to be able to spend the rest of their lives with."
Erica Butto, a single 24-year-old business owner, agrees that "divorce is as popular as skinny jeans" in today's society, and she doesn't want to be part of the trend. But lately, she's been questioning the value of getting married in the first place.
"Like most young gals, I dreamt of being Cinderella," she said, admitting that she still checks out the window displays in the local bridal shop whenever she drives past. "The wedding seems to be the exciting thing. But once the presents are opened, and the thank-you letters are sent and the cake is all eaten, it just seems like a regular relationship, only with shared bank accounts."
Etu said that while society's view of marriage may be changing, many people still view it as important.
"I think there's an awful lot of people, men and women, who look at marriage as a stabilizing factor," he said. "And almost everybody who comes in here tells me that they want to get married at some point."
---
SIDEBAR:
Dr. Paul Etu, a Glens Falls psychologist who counsels many couples, offers these tips for individuals considering marriage:
* Don't compromise. Make a list of what you consider essential attributes in a life partner (i.e. a college degree, a career, a pet poodle) and what you definitely don't want to spend the rest of your life with (i.e. a smoker, a polygamist, a pet poodle). If your current boyfriend or girlfriend doesn't match the list, walk away and find someone who does.
* Look for red flags. Even though the average marriage age is rising, Etu said he still meets many couples who seem to be rushing into a lifetime commitment. You don't need to nitpick, but you should notice negative patterns (Does she binge drink every weekend? Does he call his mom every morning for wardrobe advice?) that could cause serious long-term damage to the relationship.
* Talk money. Developing a shared financial strategy before you begin to share a checkbook will make things a lot easier for both partners.
* Make time for each other. Etu recommends that couples pick one night a week to turn off the television and discuss practical matters (paying bills, planning a vacation) and anything else that is important to the relationship.
---
BY THE NUMBERS
Mrs. Minority?: There are about 3.6 million married women in the United States, and 2.4 million women (age 15 and older) who have never been married. Another million are divorced or separated, and widows bring the total to about 4.2 million women who are not in an active marriage.
Maybe Demi and Ashton are onto something: Women generally live longer than men -- the life expectancy of an American women is 80.1, compared to 74.8 for men -- but in the average American marriage, the groom is two to three years older than the bride. That helps explain why there are more than 800,000 widows and only 195,000 widowers in the nation.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics and U.S. Census Bureau 2005 American Community Survey
Another good reason to wait: The average cost of a wedding is $26,800, including $1,841 for wedding attire; $2,337 for the ceremony; $1,739 for jewelry; $1,136 for flowers; $1,104 for wedding favors and gifts; and $13,692 for the wedding reception.
Source: The 2006 Wedding Statistics and Wedding Market Report
Friday, October 27, 2006
Food and wine -- finding the perfect pairing
Published in The Post-Star (D1)
10/25/06
Most people know the basics: white goes with fish, red goes with steak, and wine in a box should simply go.
But it's a little tougher when the menu includes things like pumpkin gnocchi, grilled wild boar chop, and foie gras ice cream.
Uncorking the full potential of fine wines means pairing them with the proper flavors in food, according to Steven Kahn, director of wine services at Sargo's restaurant in Saratoga Springs.
"We, as an American society, drink what we like as opposed to what makes the food taste better," he explained. "But you go to Europe, you don't buy a bottle of wine with dinner, they give you a different glass with each course."
Following the European model, Sargo's and several other local restaurants offer monthly wine-pairing dinners, offering a chance for the culinarily curious to explore the marriage of vineyard and kitchen.
Most pairing dinners include four to six courses, from appetizer to dessert, and the wines generally progress from lighter whites to heavier reds throughout the evening. Some dinners exclusively feature wines from one winery, while others have a regional or seasonal theme.
At Friends Lake Inn in Chestertown, for example, the next pairing dinner is all about Italian wines.
"The goal is to have a little fun, and maybe provide a little education along the way," explained John Phillips, who bought the inn with his wife, Trudy, about 2-1/2 years ago. The pairing dinners had been in place for several years already, so Phillips decided to keep the tradition.
The dinners usually attract about 45 people, and at least a dozen are regulars who attend nearly every month, he said.
"Part of it is sort of an exploration, and I think that's why some people come -- they get to try things they might not try anywhere else," he said.
At this month's dinner, for example, the menu starts off with a delicate white Soave matched with saffron-marinated seafood salad, moves to a robust red Amarone for the main course of grilled wild boar chop, and concludes with a sweet white Moscato and foie gras ice cream glazed with caramel and fig.
"Most people's first reaction when they see the menu will probably be -- Uh, foie gras ice cream?" Phillips said, acknowledging that liver isn't a typical dessert flavor. "But it's actually very, very nice."
Exploring can mean challenging people's assumptions. As Kahn pointed out, chicken typically goes with white wine, but the pairing should be based on the sauce rather than the meat -- chicken marinara calls for red wine.
Even with perfectly paired courses, not every palate will always be pleased, but that's OK, Kahn said.
"Palates can differ, so it is hugely different what people taste in a wine," he said.
For example, he's considering serving Grappa with a bombolini dessert at Sargo's upcoming Italian wine pairing dinner, because it is a traditional after-dinner drink in Italy.
Grappa is a grape-based liquor that Kahn jokingly calls "the hot dog of wines" because it is made from leftover skins and stems. Distributors say it has flavors like licorice and roses, but Kahn's tastebuds aren't buying it.
"To me, it tastes like kerosene," he confided.
IF YOU GO
--Friends Lake Inn in Chestertown hosts wine pairing dinners once a month (except July and August) featuring specific wineries, themes or regions in five paired courses.
Oct. 27 at 8 p.m.: Tour of Italy, with commentary by Joe D'Arienzo and Italian wines from distributor Frederick Wildman.
Nov. 17 at 8 p.m.: Wines and commentary from Napa Valley winemaker Joseph Carr, formerly the sommelier at The Sagamore Resort.
Dec. 15: Holiday-themed dinner featuring Italian, German, French, Spanish and American wines paired with traditional holiday dishes from those countries.
Cost: $85 per person plus tax/tip, reservations required. For more information, call 494-4751. View schedule at www.friendslake.com/wine/index.html
--Lanci's Ristorante in Saratoga Springs offers monthly communal Italian dinners with paired wines featuring specific regions, as well as occasional women-only wine and food tastings.
Nov. 15, 7 to 9: 30 p.m.: Women of the Vine: The Aging Game. Class will taste five wines paired with finger foods, while learning about aging in the winemaking process. Cost: $55 including tax/tip, reservations required.
Nov. 28 and 29, 6:30 to 9: 30 p.m.: Friuli Venezia Giulia communal dinner, wines paired with four courses of northeast Italian cuisine. Cost: $80 per person including tax/tip, reservations required.
Dec. 4: White truffle dinner, paired with Barolo wines, more details coming soon on Web site.
For more information, call 581-1973. View schedule at www.lancisristorante.com/wine_food_classes.htm
--Sargo's, at Saratoga National Golf Club in Saratoga Springs hosts monthly five-course pairing dinners featuring wines from a single winery.
Nov. 17: Italian wines from the Gallo Family winery in California.
Cost: $85 per person plus tax/tip ($125 in summer months, $200 for Silver Oak winery dinner), reservations required. For information, call 583-4653, ext. 2. View menus and schedule online at golfsaratoga.com/sargos.html
-- Saratoga Rose Inn and Restaurant in Hadley offers monthly five-course pairing dinners featuring wines from a single winery, region or theme.
Nov. 11: Californian wines from the Montevina vineyard, which specializes in zinfandels.
Cost: $70 per person plus tax/tip, reservations required. For more information, call 696-2861. View menus and schedule at www.saratogarose.com/restaurant_special_events.asp
-- Trillium bis, at The Sagamore in Bolton Landing hosts seven-course pairing dinners on the third Thursday of each month from May to October, featuring wines from a single winery.
Cost: $95 per person plus tax/tip, reservations required. For more information, call 743-6110. Schedule for next season will be online by early 2007 at www.thesagamore.com/dining/wine.php
10/25/06
Most people know the basics: white goes with fish, red goes with steak, and wine in a box should simply go.
But it's a little tougher when the menu includes things like pumpkin gnocchi, grilled wild boar chop, and foie gras ice cream.
Uncorking the full potential of fine wines means pairing them with the proper flavors in food, according to Steven Kahn, director of wine services at Sargo's restaurant in Saratoga Springs.
"We, as an American society, drink what we like as opposed to what makes the food taste better," he explained. "But you go to Europe, you don't buy a bottle of wine with dinner, they give you a different glass with each course."
Following the European model, Sargo's and several other local restaurants offer monthly wine-pairing dinners, offering a chance for the culinarily curious to explore the marriage of vineyard and kitchen.
Most pairing dinners include four to six courses, from appetizer to dessert, and the wines generally progress from lighter whites to heavier reds throughout the evening. Some dinners exclusively feature wines from one winery, while others have a regional or seasonal theme.
At Friends Lake Inn in Chestertown, for example, the next pairing dinner is all about Italian wines.
"The goal is to have a little fun, and maybe provide a little education along the way," explained John Phillips, who bought the inn with his wife, Trudy, about 2-1/2 years ago. The pairing dinners had been in place for several years already, so Phillips decided to keep the tradition.
The dinners usually attract about 45 people, and at least a dozen are regulars who attend nearly every month, he said.
"Part of it is sort of an exploration, and I think that's why some people come -- they get to try things they might not try anywhere else," he said.
At this month's dinner, for example, the menu starts off with a delicate white Soave matched with saffron-marinated seafood salad, moves to a robust red Amarone for the main course of grilled wild boar chop, and concludes with a sweet white Moscato and foie gras ice cream glazed with caramel and fig.
"Most people's first reaction when they see the menu will probably be -- Uh, foie gras ice cream?" Phillips said, acknowledging that liver isn't a typical dessert flavor. "But it's actually very, very nice."
Exploring can mean challenging people's assumptions. As Kahn pointed out, chicken typically goes with white wine, but the pairing should be based on the sauce rather than the meat -- chicken marinara calls for red wine.
Even with perfectly paired courses, not every palate will always be pleased, but that's OK, Kahn said.
"Palates can differ, so it is hugely different what people taste in a wine," he said.
For example, he's considering serving Grappa with a bombolini dessert at Sargo's upcoming Italian wine pairing dinner, because it is a traditional after-dinner drink in Italy.
Grappa is a grape-based liquor that Kahn jokingly calls "the hot dog of wines" because it is made from leftover skins and stems. Distributors say it has flavors like licorice and roses, but Kahn's tastebuds aren't buying it.
"To me, it tastes like kerosene," he confided.
IF YOU GO
--Friends Lake Inn in Chestertown hosts wine pairing dinners once a month (except July and August) featuring specific wineries, themes or regions in five paired courses.
Oct. 27 at 8 p.m.: Tour of Italy, with commentary by Joe D'Arienzo and Italian wines from distributor Frederick Wildman.
Nov. 17 at 8 p.m.: Wines and commentary from Napa Valley winemaker Joseph Carr, formerly the sommelier at The Sagamore Resort.
Dec. 15: Holiday-themed dinner featuring Italian, German, French, Spanish and American wines paired with traditional holiday dishes from those countries.
Cost: $85 per person plus tax/tip, reservations required. For more information, call 494-4751. View schedule at www.friendslake.com/wine/index.html
--Lanci's Ristorante in Saratoga Springs offers monthly communal Italian dinners with paired wines featuring specific regions, as well as occasional women-only wine and food tastings.
Nov. 15, 7 to 9: 30 p.m.: Women of the Vine: The Aging Game. Class will taste five wines paired with finger foods, while learning about aging in the winemaking process. Cost: $55 including tax/tip, reservations required.
Nov. 28 and 29, 6:30 to 9: 30 p.m.: Friuli Venezia Giulia communal dinner, wines paired with four courses of northeast Italian cuisine. Cost: $80 per person including tax/tip, reservations required.
Dec. 4: White truffle dinner, paired with Barolo wines, more details coming soon on Web site.
For more information, call 581-1973. View schedule at www.lancisristorante.com/wine_food_classes.htm
--Sargo's, at Saratoga National Golf Club in Saratoga Springs hosts monthly five-course pairing dinners featuring wines from a single winery.
Nov. 17: Italian wines from the Gallo Family winery in California.
Cost: $85 per person plus tax/tip ($125 in summer months, $200 for Silver Oak winery dinner), reservations required. For information, call 583-4653, ext. 2. View menus and schedule online at golfsaratoga.com/sargos.html
-- Saratoga Rose Inn and Restaurant in Hadley offers monthly five-course pairing dinners featuring wines from a single winery, region or theme.
Nov. 11: Californian wines from the Montevina vineyard, which specializes in zinfandels.
Cost: $70 per person plus tax/tip, reservations required. For more information, call 696-2861. View menus and schedule at www.saratogarose.com/restaurant_special_events.asp
-- Trillium bis, at The Sagamore in Bolton Landing hosts seven-course pairing dinners on the third Thursday of each month from May to October, featuring wines from a single winery.
Cost: $95 per person plus tax/tip, reservations required. For more information, call 743-6110. Schedule for next season will be online by early 2007 at www.thesagamore.com/dining/wine.php
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Plane dumps fuel over county
Published in The Post-Star (B6)
10/20/06
Approximately 1,500 gallons of jet fuel sprayed into the air over southern Saratoga County on Wednesday morning when a New York State Air National Guard plane was forced to lighten its load for an emergency landing.
The C-130 cargo plane was heading for a support mission in Antarctica when one of its engines began leaking fuel shortly after takeoff from Stratton Air National Guard Base in Scotia around 9 a.m. Wednesday, according to Kent Kisselbrack, a spokesperson for the state Division of Military and Naval Affairs.
After shutting down the malfunctioning engine, the pilot took the plane up to an altitude of about 11,000 feet and dumped 10,000 pounds of fuel into the atmosphere before returning to the base for an emergency landing.
"Dumping fuel like that is not uncommon in the aircraft business," Kisselback said, "At such an altitude, it just evaporates."
The plane landed successfully, with no injuries to crew members.
The Air National Guard reported the fuel release to the DEC, because state law requires the immediate reporting of all petroleum and hazardous chemical spills that could impact state waters.
In this case, the fuel never reached the ground, so it had no discernible impact on the surrounding soil or water, said David Winchell, a regional spokesperson for the Department of Environmental Conservation.
"Jet fuel is very volatile, so even in cases when it spills on the ground, there often isn't a lot to clean up because it evaporates so quickly," he explained. "It may ... have a minimal impact on the air quality."
The DEC will not fine the Air National Guard for the spill because it took place during a declared emergency, he added.
__________________________________________________
10/20/06
Approximately 1,500 gallons of jet fuel sprayed into the air over southern Saratoga County on Wednesday morning when a New York State Air National Guard plane was forced to lighten its load for an emergency landing.
The C-130 cargo plane was heading for a support mission in Antarctica when one of its engines began leaking fuel shortly after takeoff from Stratton Air National Guard Base in Scotia around 9 a.m. Wednesday, according to Kent Kisselbrack, a spokesperson for the state Division of Military and Naval Affairs.
After shutting down the malfunctioning engine, the pilot took the plane up to an altitude of about 11,000 feet and dumped 10,000 pounds of fuel into the atmosphere before returning to the base for an emergency landing.
"Dumping fuel like that is not uncommon in the aircraft business," Kisselback said, "At such an altitude, it just evaporates."
The plane landed successfully, with no injuries to crew members.
The Air National Guard reported the fuel release to the DEC, because state law requires the immediate reporting of all petroleum and hazardous chemical spills that could impact state waters.
In this case, the fuel never reached the ground, so it had no discernible impact on the surrounding soil or water, said David Winchell, a regional spokesperson for the Department of Environmental Conservation.
"Jet fuel is very volatile, so even in cases when it spills on the ground, there often isn't a lot to clean up because it evaporates so quickly," he explained. "It may ... have a minimal impact on the air quality."
The DEC will not fine the Air National Guard for the spill because it took place during a declared emergency, he added.
__________________________________________________
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Angels drink scotch?
Published in The Post-Star (G1)
10/12/06
Anyone who steps inside the classy, wood-paneled warmth of 9 Maple Avenue in Saratoga Springs can see that the owner has an obsession.
On the backlit shelves behind the bar, more than 150 varieties of single-malt scotch, 40 bourbons, and 28 Irish whiskies wink and gleam at patrons, waiting for someone to ask them out.
"Yeah, I've got a problem collecting whiskies," admitted Mike Sirianni, owner and manager of the 16-year-old establishment. He thinks he might have the largest scotch collection of any bar in the state, outside New York City.
"I've pretty much bought everything that New York state has to offer," he said. "It's a lot of fun to see people out enjoying it."
He hosts a two-hour tasting session at the bar on the first Wednesday of each month, dubbed "The Angels' Share Society" after the roughly 2 percent of alcohol that evaporates from a barrel of wine or liquor during each year of the aging process.
For $25 each, patrons are treated to three shots -- a scotch, a bourbon and an Irish whiskey -- and a unique cocktail, usually set to the soundtrack of a hand-picked jazz recording.
Sirianni said he doesn't make much profit at that price, but it doesn't matter. He sees himself as an educator, maybe even an evangelist, when it comes to good whiskey.
"Some poor guy can get stuck drinking Dewar's and water for the next 10 years, when the bottle next to it on the shelf could be his best friend if he tried it," he said. "I'm giving him a chance to try it."
Twice a year, the event also includes a cigar tasting courtesy of Smokin' Sam's Cigar Shop, as it did this month. (The state's ban on smoking in public places allows an exception for any two days per calendar year.)
"Cigar nights are usually our biggest turnout," Sirianni said, working up a sweat as he poured about 50 shots in rapid succession.
Only two female faces could be spotted in the crowd that night, although regulars at the event said there have been a lot more in the past.
"I've definitely seen a fair amount of women at these," said Jay Teta, trying to reassure the female reporter that she was not out of place.
"But I'd say it's 20 percent or less," added his friend, Alan McWilliams. Next to him, Ed Hanlon nodded in agreement as he sipped the first of the night's heavenly offerings, a Clontarf classic blend Irish whiskey.
"Mmm," he said.
The three men have been Angels -- so to speak -- for most of the four years the group has existed.
In the daylight, Teta is an IT engineer, McWilliams sells pharmaceuticals and Hanlon is a middle-school teacher. But they look much more mysterious and macho in the murky light of 9 Maple Avenue, with a cigar in one hand and shot of whiskey in the other.
But it's not about image, the Angels explain. It's about taste.
"Some people like the activity itself, like, 'Hey, I'm drinking a scotch. Hey, I'm eating a lobster. Hey, I'm smoking a cigar,'" said Jim Fauci, who selected the cigars for that night's tasting. "But after a while, you get over the sort of stature of it, and get down to the taste."
Herm Greenfield of Wilton discovered the Angels' Share Society through a girlfriend a few years ago. He's since lost the girlfriend, but kept his passion for scotch.
"This was a real education. I found out why I really like scotch, and as you start learning more, you hone your taste," he said.
The taste is tricky to put into words, though.
"Scotch is a hard drink. It's not sweet, not friendly," Greenfield said, after struggling to describe it for a minute or two.
He looked down at his glass and grinned.
"Until you get into it. Then," he said, giving the air a big bear hug, "it's your best friend."
~~~~
IF YOU GO
The Angels' Share Society meets from 7 to 9 p.m. the first Wednesday of each month at 9 Maple Avenue bar in Saratoga Springs. $25 admission, ages 22 and older. For more information, log on to www.9mapleavenue.com or call 583-2582.
~~~~
Whiskey Wisdom
-- Whiskey comes in many varieties, depending on its country of origin, the specific ingredients and type of still used, and the aging process. Bourbon and scotch are types of whiskey.
-- The term whiskey comes from a Gaelic word meaning "water of life."
-- Bourbon, an American whiskey which originated in Bourbon County, Ky., must contain at least 51 percent corn.
-- The proper spelling for whiskey made in Scotland is "whisky." It is traditionally made with malted barley heated over a peat fire.
-- Whiskey is born clear, and acquires color from the cask as it ages.
10/12/06
Anyone who steps inside the classy, wood-paneled warmth of 9 Maple Avenue in Saratoga Springs can see that the owner has an obsession.
On the backlit shelves behind the bar, more than 150 varieties of single-malt scotch, 40 bourbons, and 28 Irish whiskies wink and gleam at patrons, waiting for someone to ask them out.
"Yeah, I've got a problem collecting whiskies," admitted Mike Sirianni, owner and manager of the 16-year-old establishment. He thinks he might have the largest scotch collection of any bar in the state, outside New York City.
"I've pretty much bought everything that New York state has to offer," he said. "It's a lot of fun to see people out enjoying it."
He hosts a two-hour tasting session at the bar on the first Wednesday of each month, dubbed "The Angels' Share Society" after the roughly 2 percent of alcohol that evaporates from a barrel of wine or liquor during each year of the aging process.
For $25 each, patrons are treated to three shots -- a scotch, a bourbon and an Irish whiskey -- and a unique cocktail, usually set to the soundtrack of a hand-picked jazz recording.
Sirianni said he doesn't make much profit at that price, but it doesn't matter. He sees himself as an educator, maybe even an evangelist, when it comes to good whiskey.
"Some poor guy can get stuck drinking Dewar's and water for the next 10 years, when the bottle next to it on the shelf could be his best friend if he tried it," he said. "I'm giving him a chance to try it."
Twice a year, the event also includes a cigar tasting courtesy of Smokin' Sam's Cigar Shop, as it did this month. (The state's ban on smoking in public places allows an exception for any two days per calendar year.)
"Cigar nights are usually our biggest turnout," Sirianni said, working up a sweat as he poured about 50 shots in rapid succession.
Only two female faces could be spotted in the crowd that night, although regulars at the event said there have been a lot more in the past.
"I've definitely seen a fair amount of women at these," said Jay Teta, trying to reassure the female reporter that she was not out of place.
"But I'd say it's 20 percent or less," added his friend, Alan McWilliams. Next to him, Ed Hanlon nodded in agreement as he sipped the first of the night's heavenly offerings, a Clontarf classic blend Irish whiskey.
"Mmm," he said.
The three men have been Angels -- so to speak -- for most of the four years the group has existed.
In the daylight, Teta is an IT engineer, McWilliams sells pharmaceuticals and Hanlon is a middle-school teacher. But they look much more mysterious and macho in the murky light of 9 Maple Avenue, with a cigar in one hand and shot of whiskey in the other.
But it's not about image, the Angels explain. It's about taste.
"Some people like the activity itself, like, 'Hey, I'm drinking a scotch. Hey, I'm eating a lobster. Hey, I'm smoking a cigar,'" said Jim Fauci, who selected the cigars for that night's tasting. "But after a while, you get over the sort of stature of it, and get down to the taste."
Herm Greenfield of Wilton discovered the Angels' Share Society through a girlfriend a few years ago. He's since lost the girlfriend, but kept his passion for scotch.
"This was a real education. I found out why I really like scotch, and as you start learning more, you hone your taste," he said.
The taste is tricky to put into words, though.
"Scotch is a hard drink. It's not sweet, not friendly," Greenfield said, after struggling to describe it for a minute or two.
He looked down at his glass and grinned.
"Until you get into it. Then," he said, giving the air a big bear hug, "it's your best friend."
~~~~
IF YOU GO
The Angels' Share Society meets from 7 to 9 p.m. the first Wednesday of each month at 9 Maple Avenue bar in Saratoga Springs. $25 admission, ages 22 and older. For more information, log on to www.9mapleavenue.com or call 583-2582.
~~~~
Whiskey Wisdom
-- Whiskey comes in many varieties, depending on its country of origin, the specific ingredients and type of still used, and the aging process. Bourbon and scotch are types of whiskey.
-- The term whiskey comes from a Gaelic word meaning "water of life."
-- Bourbon, an American whiskey which originated in Bourbon County, Ky., must contain at least 51 percent corn.
-- The proper spelling for whiskey made in Scotland is "whisky." It is traditionally made with malted barley heated over a peat fire.
-- Whiskey is born clear, and acquires color from the cask as it ages.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Logging on at lunchtime
Published in The Post-Star (D1)
10/18/06
For many restaurants, paper menus and chalkboard specials are no longer enough to lure customers inside — appetites are whetted online.
"People expect restaurants to have a Web site. They don’t say, ‘Do you have a Web site?’ They say, ‘What’s the address of your Web site?’" said Sara Mannix.
She owns Mannix Marketing, a Glens Falls firm that specializes in designing Web sites for restaurants and other hospitality-related businesses.
"I think the Internet is the new Yellow Pages," she said. "For a long time, I’ve been saying I think it’s becoming that. But I think it finally is."
When Mannix founded her business 10 years ago, it had just a handful of restaurant clients. Now, it has designed sites for about 100 restaurants in the Capital Region and beyond.
"There’s been more and more traffic to the sites every year," she said.
In the last five years or so, both locals and tourists have increasingly turned to search engines like Google to check out dining and catering options, she said, sometimes just typing in "Glens Falls restaurants" and clicking on the most prominently displayed results.
This trend has forced many local restaurants to either launch a Web site or spiff up their existing one.
Developing a more sophisticated Web site was one of Colleen Holmes’ first goals when she and her husband bought Wheatfields restaurant in Saratoga Springs two years ago.
"It’s a very powerful marketing tool, and a great source of information for our guests and potential guests," Colleen explained. "Many people today go to Web sites to get purchasing information and make decisions, and just because we’re a restaurant doesn’t make it any different."
It took almost two years to find a designer whose work matched her vision of what the site should be, but she finally settled on Pete Brandenstein’s Schoolhouse Designs.
"I needed someone who could convey the energy and excitement of a busy restaurant," Colleen said. "A Web site could potentially be very boring, so how do you make it fun and upbeat?"
Apparently, with artful photographs, elegant fonts and high-tech tricks like scrolling animation.
The site has definitely generated business, Colleen added.
"I’ve received phone calls from people saying, ‘I’m on your Web site right now, can you tell me more about this or that?’" she said. "People e-mail us their reservation requests, or request more information about catering, on a regular basis."
Other local restaurants have taken a more casual approach, but almost all have some sort of online presence.
The Log Jam in Queensbury started out with a very basic page, but upgraded to its more comprehensive current site about four years ago, said manager Tony Grecco.
"It’s definitely a big help," he said. "People that don’t know us find us, and people that do know us can see what’s on the menu this week."
Rick Davidson, co-owner of Davidson Brothers’ restaurant and brewery in Glens Falls, rarely uses computers, and didn’t even know what Google was until his teenage son explained it to him recently. But even he sees the benefits of tangling with the Web.
"It’s done a great deal for our business," he said. "The longer we’ve been around, the more tourists we get, and a lot of them tell me they found us by Googling restaurants in the area ... Five years ago, you wouldn’t have heard one party a month mention a Web site."
Mannix Marketing designed the site, and Davidson’s 17-year-old son, A.J., keeps it updated. It’s very basic and text-heavy, but Davidson said that’s OK.
"It’s not snazzy, and that’s Davidson’s. We’re just a family-owned, small, independent restaurant," he said. "We’re not that slick."
--
An abridged look at what a few local eateries have put online:
The Log Jam Restaurant in Queensbury has a Mannix-designed site, www.logjamrestaurant.com. It is easy to navigate and includes everything from menus with prices to directions to the men's room.
Davidson Brothers' Restaurant and Brewery in Glens Falls has www.davidsonbrothers.com, a which focuses more on content than style. It includes menus (without prices), merchandise (with prices) and an up-to-date calendar of events. The "Our Story" section offers an interesting look at the origin of this family-run local business.
Jake's Round-Up in South Glens Falls has rounded up a useful collection of menus and pricing information at www.jakesroundup.com, which has over 3,800 visitors, according to the hit counter. Unfortunately, it's hard to find directions or a phone number for this self-proclaimed "not hard to figure, not hard to get to" place, and the event listings are out of date.
Chianti Il Ristorante, an Italian fine dining restaurant in Saratoga Springs, has www.chiantiristorante.com, a seductively sleek site that gives a sense of the place's ambience through artsy, low-light photos. The comprehensive site even includes instructions on applying for a job at the restaurant. The only thing it doesn't include? Prices.
dine, an upscale American/Asian/French fusion restaurant in Saratoga Springs, has a fun, snazzy site at www.dinesaratoga.com
Visitors will need Flash software and a bit of Web-savvy to navigate this clever page, which includes animation and hidden text that pops up as the mouse scrolls across an image. It needs an update, though -- the "happenings" page lists events for Nov. 2005.
Then there's www.menumart.com, owned by Mannix Marketing, which dishes the basic info -- menu and location -- for most restaurants in the Capital Region, and links to the restaurants' own Web sites where one is available.
--
10/18/06
For many restaurants, paper menus and chalkboard specials are no longer enough to lure customers inside — appetites are whetted online.
"People expect restaurants to have a Web site. They don’t say, ‘Do you have a Web site?’ They say, ‘What’s the address of your Web site?’" said Sara Mannix.
She owns Mannix Marketing, a Glens Falls firm that specializes in designing Web sites for restaurants and other hospitality-related businesses.
"I think the Internet is the new Yellow Pages," she said. "For a long time, I’ve been saying I think it’s becoming that. But I think it finally is."
When Mannix founded her business 10 years ago, it had just a handful of restaurant clients. Now, it has designed sites for about 100 restaurants in the Capital Region and beyond.
"There’s been more and more traffic to the sites every year," she said.
In the last five years or so, both locals and tourists have increasingly turned to search engines like Google to check out dining and catering options, she said, sometimes just typing in "Glens Falls restaurants" and clicking on the most prominently displayed results.
This trend has forced many local restaurants to either launch a Web site or spiff up their existing one.
Developing a more sophisticated Web site was one of Colleen Holmes’ first goals when she and her husband bought Wheatfields restaurant in Saratoga Springs two years ago.
"It’s a very powerful marketing tool, and a great source of information for our guests and potential guests," Colleen explained. "Many people today go to Web sites to get purchasing information and make decisions, and just because we’re a restaurant doesn’t make it any different."
It took almost two years to find a designer whose work matched her vision of what the site should be, but she finally settled on Pete Brandenstein’s Schoolhouse Designs.
"I needed someone who could convey the energy and excitement of a busy restaurant," Colleen said. "A Web site could potentially be very boring, so how do you make it fun and upbeat?"
Apparently, with artful photographs, elegant fonts and high-tech tricks like scrolling animation.
The site has definitely generated business, Colleen added.
"I’ve received phone calls from people saying, ‘I’m on your Web site right now, can you tell me more about this or that?’" she said. "People e-mail us their reservation requests, or request more information about catering, on a regular basis."
Other local restaurants have taken a more casual approach, but almost all have some sort of online presence.
The Log Jam in Queensbury started out with a very basic page, but upgraded to its more comprehensive current site about four years ago, said manager Tony Grecco.
"It’s definitely a big help," he said. "People that don’t know us find us, and people that do know us can see what’s on the menu this week."
Rick Davidson, co-owner of Davidson Brothers’ restaurant and brewery in Glens Falls, rarely uses computers, and didn’t even know what Google was until his teenage son explained it to him recently. But even he sees the benefits of tangling with the Web.
"It’s done a great deal for our business," he said. "The longer we’ve been around, the more tourists we get, and a lot of them tell me they found us by Googling restaurants in the area ... Five years ago, you wouldn’t have heard one party a month mention a Web site."
Mannix Marketing designed the site, and Davidson’s 17-year-old son, A.J., keeps it updated. It’s very basic and text-heavy, but Davidson said that’s OK.
"It’s not snazzy, and that’s Davidson’s. We’re just a family-owned, small, independent restaurant," he said. "We’re not that slick."
--
An abridged look at what a few local eateries have put online:
The Log Jam Restaurant in Queensbury has a Mannix-designed site, www.logjamrestaurant.com. It is easy to navigate and includes everything from menus with prices to directions to the men's room.
Davidson Brothers' Restaurant and Brewery in Glens Falls has www.davidsonbrothers.com, a which focuses more on content than style. It includes menus (without prices), merchandise (with prices) and an up-to-date calendar of events. The "Our Story" section offers an interesting look at the origin of this family-run local business.
Jake's Round-Up in South Glens Falls has rounded up a useful collection of menus and pricing information at www.jakesroundup.com, which has over 3,800 visitors, according to the hit counter. Unfortunately, it's hard to find directions or a phone number for this self-proclaimed "not hard to figure, not hard to get to" place, and the event listings are out of date.
Chianti Il Ristorante, an Italian fine dining restaurant in Saratoga Springs, has www.chiantiristorante.com, a seductively sleek site that gives a sense of the place's ambience through artsy, low-light photos. The comprehensive site even includes instructions on applying for a job at the restaurant. The only thing it doesn't include? Prices.
dine, an upscale American/Asian/French fusion restaurant in Saratoga Springs, has a fun, snazzy site at www.dinesaratoga.com
Visitors will need Flash software and a bit of Web-savvy to navigate this clever page, which includes animation and hidden text that pops up as the mouse scrolls across an image. It needs an update, though -- the "happenings" page lists events for Nov. 2005.
Then there's www.menumart.com, owned by Mannix Marketing, which dishes the basic info -- menu and location -- for most restaurants in the Capital Region, and links to the restaurants' own Web sites where one is available.
--
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Sustaining in Siberia
Published in The Post-Star (D1)
10/15/06
Jen Kretser, education director of the Adirondack Mountain Club, often discusses land management issues -- but she's usually in an office, not sitting around a sacred fire in a yurtlike structure called an ail.
And while she's used to helping spruce up camp sites and remove trash from park land, there are usually pickup trucks involved, not packhorses.
Kretser and three other Americans traveled to the Altai Republic of Russia to help lead workshops about familiar Adirondack principles like "leave no trace" land use and interpretive visitor's education.
The Altai Republic, a mountainous region of southern Siberia that borders Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan, is new to the park management business and eager to learn from those with more experience.
"They're really starting from ground zero -- all their nature parks have been established in the last eight years, since the fall of the Soviet Union," Kretser explained.
Staff members from the Altai parks and related nongovernmental organizations have traveled to the United States for the past two summers to study the way its parks are managed. They settled on the Adirondacks as a model because it has sustained a balance between preserving and utilizing the land's resources, explained Kretser.
"We have the same sort of mosaic of small communities existing within park land," she said. "And they really liked the work we were doing, in terms of promoting responsible recreation and educating visitors about the natural and cultural history of the park."
When Kretser was invited on the trip -- co-sponsored by the Altai Assistance Project and funded by private grants -- she was honored, but unsure what to expect.
"When you think of Siberia, you think cold. You think gulags. I mean, that's what I was originally thinking, 'Siberia? What?'" she remembered, laughing. "But it was absolutely amazing."
Kretser traveled with Adirondack Mountain Club botany steward Julia Goren; Karen Boldis, a professor of ecotourism at Paul Smith's College; and Susan Cutting, director of the Altai Project. French, Russian, and native Altai participants joined them for workshops in the foothills of Siberia's highest mountain, the 15,000-foot Mount Belukha.
The geography in that region looks similar to the American West, Kretser said, with a lot of "sweeping mountains and valleys" covered in a mix of coniferous and deciduous trees, some already turned to autumn gold when she arrived in early September.
"We were staying in these traditional ails...with mountains all around outside, right on the banks of this incredibly blue glacial river," she said. "In the little village across the way, you'd see people going out in the morning with their livestock."
The indigenous people of the Altai region view their land from a spiritual perspective that she found foreign, Kretser said, but fascinating.
"They have a lot of sacred sites in the park -- petroglyphs, standing stones, springs, and mountain passes," she explained. "There's one valley we visited that they believe is the birthplace of the whole world! And then you start talking about developing a land use plan for something like that. How do you do that?"
One way to start, the group decided, was expanding the core "leave no trace" principles developed by the Adirondack Mountain Club to include an eighth precept: Respect local traditions and cultures.
After two weeks, Kretser went home feeling she had received as much education as she had given.
"There's a lot to be learned from experiences that make the familiar strange," she said. "It really gave me an appreciation for what we have here, and what we can do with it."
It took nearly three full days of travel for the American delegation to reach its destination in the Altai Republic's nature parks, but Kretser said she would "absolutely love" to make the trek again.
"I feel like I just kind of barely scratched the surface of understanding their perspective," she said.
LOGGING ON:
The Altai Assistance Project: www.altaiassistanceproject.org
Adirondack Mountain Club: www.adk.org
LEAVE NO TRACE PRINCIPLES:
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
4. Leave What You Find
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
6. Respect Wildlife
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors
(More details on www.lnt.org)
__________________________________________________
10/15/06
Jen Kretser, education director of the Adirondack Mountain Club, often discusses land management issues -- but she's usually in an office, not sitting around a sacred fire in a yurtlike structure called an ail.
And while she's used to helping spruce up camp sites and remove trash from park land, there are usually pickup trucks involved, not packhorses.
Kretser and three other Americans traveled to the Altai Republic of Russia to help lead workshops about familiar Adirondack principles like "leave no trace" land use and interpretive visitor's education.
The Altai Republic, a mountainous region of southern Siberia that borders Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan, is new to the park management business and eager to learn from those with more experience.
"They're really starting from ground zero -- all their nature parks have been established in the last eight years, since the fall of the Soviet Union," Kretser explained.
Staff members from the Altai parks and related nongovernmental organizations have traveled to the United States for the past two summers to study the way its parks are managed. They settled on the Adirondacks as a model because it has sustained a balance between preserving and utilizing the land's resources, explained Kretser.
"We have the same sort of mosaic of small communities existing within park land," she said. "And they really liked the work we were doing, in terms of promoting responsible recreation and educating visitors about the natural and cultural history of the park."
When Kretser was invited on the trip -- co-sponsored by the Altai Assistance Project and funded by private grants -- she was honored, but unsure what to expect.
"When you think of Siberia, you think cold. You think gulags. I mean, that's what I was originally thinking, 'Siberia? What?'" she remembered, laughing. "But it was absolutely amazing."
Kretser traveled with Adirondack Mountain Club botany steward Julia Goren; Karen Boldis, a professor of ecotourism at Paul Smith's College; and Susan Cutting, director of the Altai Project. French, Russian, and native Altai participants joined them for workshops in the foothills of Siberia's highest mountain, the 15,000-foot Mount Belukha.
The geography in that region looks similar to the American West, Kretser said, with a lot of "sweeping mountains and valleys" covered in a mix of coniferous and deciduous trees, some already turned to autumn gold when she arrived in early September.
"We were staying in these traditional ails...with mountains all around outside, right on the banks of this incredibly blue glacial river," she said. "In the little village across the way, you'd see people going out in the morning with their livestock."
The indigenous people of the Altai region view their land from a spiritual perspective that she found foreign, Kretser said, but fascinating.
"They have a lot of sacred sites in the park -- petroglyphs, standing stones, springs, and mountain passes," she explained. "There's one valley we visited that they believe is the birthplace of the whole world! And then you start talking about developing a land use plan for something like that. How do you do that?"
One way to start, the group decided, was expanding the core "leave no trace" principles developed by the Adirondack Mountain Club to include an eighth precept: Respect local traditions and cultures.
After two weeks, Kretser went home feeling she had received as much education as she had given.
"There's a lot to be learned from experiences that make the familiar strange," she said. "It really gave me an appreciation for what we have here, and what we can do with it."
It took nearly three full days of travel for the American delegation to reach its destination in the Altai Republic's nature parks, but Kretser said she would "absolutely love" to make the trek again.
"I feel like I just kind of barely scratched the surface of understanding their perspective," she said.
LOGGING ON:
The Altai Assistance Project: www.altaiassistanceproject.org
Adirondack Mountain Club: www.adk.org
LEAVE NO TRACE PRINCIPLES:
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
4. Leave What You Find
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
6. Respect Wildlife
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors
(More details on www.lnt.org)
__________________________________________________
Monday, October 16, 2006
Magic comes back to life
Published in The Post-Star
10/16/06
Arto Monaco may not be a household name, but his work touched many households in this region over the past half-century.
His "Land of Make Believe" amusement park in Upper Jay fascinated kids growing up in the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s. Around the same time, his creations added whimsical wonder to other theme parks in the region, including Santa’s Workshop, Storytown, USA (now the Great Escape), Frontier Town and Gaslight Village.
He made or helped develop hundreds of unique toys and games over his 70-year career, from simple wooden pull-toys to mass-market board games like Othello.
Yet somehow, Monaco never got particularly rich or famous. When the master toymaker and artist died in 2003 at age 90, there was no official home for his work, save a building in Upper Jay where he stashed many of his models and prototypes. Some of his outdoor projects had already been decaying for years.
The Arto Monaco Historical Society, a newly formed nonprofit organization started by a few of Monaco’s close friends, hopes to change that.
"We’re hoping, long-range, to really keep Arto’s story alive, and educate people about who he was and what he did," said Jane Mackintosh, the society’s planning director.
Right now, the group is focusing its efforts on purchasing and restoring the fairytale castle that was once a main attraction at the Land of Make Believe. The three-story stuccoed building, complete with turrets and towers, has been largely ignored since 1979, when Monaco closed the park because perpetual spring flooding from the nearby AuSable River had made it difficult to maintain.
Over the years, the castle has nestled more deeply into the surrounding woods and begun to crumble, giving it an even more authentic fairy-tale look — though perhaps more Brothers Grimm than Disneyland.
The long spell of disrepair was broken last month, when a group of volunteers spent several days clearing brush and debris from the grounds, fixing the roof, and inspecting the building.
The group included two University of Vermont graduate students who had selected the castle as their hands-on project for a course in historic preservation. Julie Weisgerber and Michaela Ann Hutchins helped photograph, measure and create drawings of the structure to contribute to a needs assessment.
The society expects to complete a purchase of the castle property "any day now," Mackintosh said, and then will focus on raising funds to continue the restoration project and acquire more of Monaco’s works. Their vision is to acquire a collection of his physical works, while also building up a digital archive of stories, memories and photos related to Monaco and his creations.
"One of the things we hope to do once we acquire these collections is develop exhibits and work with museums and other historical societies to display his work," she said. "This is what he would have wanted."
When he was alive, Monaco didn’t seem to want much, as his friends remember it. He was "a happy-go-lucky guy," although he could be a perfectionist about his work, said Dean Miller, a Queensbury resident.
Miller spent 30 years working for Charles Wood, Monaco’s contemporary in the theme-park industry. Wood developed Storytown around the same time that Monaco was building the Land of Make Believe. The men could have been competitors, but became friends instead, and Wood hired Monaco to design many of his park projects over the next several decades.
"Charlie had all the flair and flash, and nothing against him, but he didn’t have a lot of his own ideas ... He had people like Arto who could make ideas and designs into something," Miller reflected. "Arto was a really talented guy, but he didn’t seem like much of a business person."
For an artist whose work thrived on imagination and fantasy, Monaco’s personality was very down-to-earth, Miller added. Monaco had his own private studio at Storytown, but often chose to join the park employees for lunch in the cafeteria. He welcomed visitors to his studio in Upper Jay, often giving them small toys or models as parting gifts.
"He enjoyed real people, the way I looked at it," Miller said.
SHARE YOUR STORY
The Arto Monaco Historical Society invites people to share their memories, pictures and artifacts related to Arto Monaco at "Arto-fact Days," scheduled periodically at the Wells Memorial Library in Upper Jay. For more information, go to www.artomonaco.org or call planning director Jane Mackintosh at 793-4220.
10/16/06
Arto Monaco may not be a household name, but his work touched many households in this region over the past half-century.
His "Land of Make Believe" amusement park in Upper Jay fascinated kids growing up in the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s. Around the same time, his creations added whimsical wonder to other theme parks in the region, including Santa’s Workshop, Storytown, USA (now the Great Escape), Frontier Town and Gaslight Village.
He made or helped develop hundreds of unique toys and games over his 70-year career, from simple wooden pull-toys to mass-market board games like Othello.
Yet somehow, Monaco never got particularly rich or famous. When the master toymaker and artist died in 2003 at age 90, there was no official home for his work, save a building in Upper Jay where he stashed many of his models and prototypes. Some of his outdoor projects had already been decaying for years.
The Arto Monaco Historical Society, a newly formed nonprofit organization started by a few of Monaco’s close friends, hopes to change that.
"We’re hoping, long-range, to really keep Arto’s story alive, and educate people about who he was and what he did," said Jane Mackintosh, the society’s planning director.
Right now, the group is focusing its efforts on purchasing and restoring the fairytale castle that was once a main attraction at the Land of Make Believe. The three-story stuccoed building, complete with turrets and towers, has been largely ignored since 1979, when Monaco closed the park because perpetual spring flooding from the nearby AuSable River had made it difficult to maintain.
Over the years, the castle has nestled more deeply into the surrounding woods and begun to crumble, giving it an even more authentic fairy-tale look — though perhaps more Brothers Grimm than Disneyland.
The long spell of disrepair was broken last month, when a group of volunteers spent several days clearing brush and debris from the grounds, fixing the roof, and inspecting the building.
The group included two University of Vermont graduate students who had selected the castle as their hands-on project for a course in historic preservation. Julie Weisgerber and Michaela Ann Hutchins helped photograph, measure and create drawings of the structure to contribute to a needs assessment.
The society expects to complete a purchase of the castle property "any day now," Mackintosh said, and then will focus on raising funds to continue the restoration project and acquire more of Monaco’s works. Their vision is to acquire a collection of his physical works, while also building up a digital archive of stories, memories and photos related to Monaco and his creations.
"One of the things we hope to do once we acquire these collections is develop exhibits and work with museums and other historical societies to display his work," she said. "This is what he would have wanted."
When he was alive, Monaco didn’t seem to want much, as his friends remember it. He was "a happy-go-lucky guy," although he could be a perfectionist about his work, said Dean Miller, a Queensbury resident.
Miller spent 30 years working for Charles Wood, Monaco’s contemporary in the theme-park industry. Wood developed Storytown around the same time that Monaco was building the Land of Make Believe. The men could have been competitors, but became friends instead, and Wood hired Monaco to design many of his park projects over the next several decades.
"Charlie had all the flair and flash, and nothing against him, but he didn’t have a lot of his own ideas ... He had people like Arto who could make ideas and designs into something," Miller reflected. "Arto was a really talented guy, but he didn’t seem like much of a business person."
For an artist whose work thrived on imagination and fantasy, Monaco’s personality was very down-to-earth, Miller added. Monaco had his own private studio at Storytown, but often chose to join the park employees for lunch in the cafeteria. He welcomed visitors to his studio in Upper Jay, often giving them small toys or models as parting gifts.
"He enjoyed real people, the way I looked at it," Miller said.
SHARE YOUR STORY
The Arto Monaco Historical Society invites people to share their memories, pictures and artifacts related to Arto Monaco at "Arto-fact Days," scheduled periodically at the Wells Memorial Library in Upper Jay. For more information, go to www.artomonaco.org or call planning director Jane Mackintosh at 793-4220.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
New churches sprouting in region
Published in The Post-Star (D1)
10/9/06
Dave Shacket isn't a farmer, but he believes he has something important to plant.
He and his wife, Penny, moved to Saratoga Springs last year to start a nondenominational church called Life Christian Center, an offshoot of Cornerstone Community Church in Albany.
The church is one of many nondenominational congregations that have sprouted in this region in recent years, following a national trend. Most tend to feature a casual atmosphere with modern music, often in warehouse-style buildings that favor function over aesthetics. The emphasis is
usually on practical preaching and Bible study, with little or no ritual.
Shacket, 34, was teaching music in the Schenectady school district when the idea of a career change took root six years ago.
"The very beginning of the process is that you feel like God wants you to lead your own church, and others in authority around you recognize it," he said. He joined Cornerstone's staff as an associate pastor, and soon began to sense it was time to start something new.
He believes he is called to Saratoga Springs, specifically, because this is where he and Penny feel they received the same message from God as they were out for a drive one day a few years ago.
"You're leaving home," was the thought that came to Dave's mind. He kept it to himself, so he was startled when Penny turned to him and said, "This is it, isn't it?"
He's never been to seminary, but said he doesn't think that's important.
"The way we see it, pastoring is a gift more than an education," he said. "And I've heard it said, if you can do anything else besides be a pastor -- do something else! You have to know that God is calling you."
That call is gender-exclusive, in his opinion.
"The position of a pastor, as we see it in the Bible, is for a man," he said, adding that women can "perform pastoral functions" like teaching children and other women.
But his conservative theological stance on female pastors is mixed with a liberal view of the church's role in society.
The name Life Christian Center comes from a verse in the book of John, he explained.
"It says Jesus came to give people more abundant life," he said. "So we're thinking, what can we bring to the community to help people live better lives?"
Establishing a new congregation of worshippers isn't easy, especially in a city that already has at least 20 existing congregations. Shackett began by looking at demographic studies and talking to local pastors to determine what types of churches already existed.
"I don't mean to imply that there aren't already good churches here," Shackett said. "But our vision is just different from theirs."
So different, in fact, that Life Christian Center inspired a new category in The Talking Phone Book's yellow pages.
It didn't fit in under "Churches -- Catholic," "Churches -- Methodist," or even "Churches -- Various Denominations, Non-Denominational."
Life Christian Center is the sole entry under "Churches -- Community."
Shackett wants to create a church that's an outreach, not an enclave.
"Most people's experiences with church are, at best, 'I got it, it's OK, but it has nothing to do with my life during the rest of the week,'" he said. "But if we're really talking about God, capital 'G,' then church should be fun, relevant and enjoyable -- and it should apply to your whole life, not just Sunday mornings."
While most pastors receive a salary drawn in part from members' contributions, the Shacketts have an independent income through Dave's Web site design business.
And while most churches are centered in a building, Life Christian Center rents space from the high school to hold Sunday morning services. Throughout the week, church members host classes and discussion groups that are open to anyone in the community. Video-based courses on topics like financial management, leadership development, and parenting are part of the mix, as well as more traditional Bible studies.
"Churches are generally looked at as 'We're us; you're you, join us if you want,' and I think that's incredibly ineffective and unbiblical," Shackett said. "A church is supposed to be a shining light in the community, with no expectation of return."
LOGGING ON: www.saratogachurch.com
History of churches in the region
The Baptists, Presbyterians, Episcopals, Methodists, Congregationalists and Catholics all established churches near the centers of Saratoga Springs and Glens Falls during the 19th century.
"As in everything else, the village has never been backward in the worship of God, and the village today can boast of nine churches supported by a large and prominent congregation," declared an article in the Dec. 25, 1889 issue of the Saratoga Union.
Newer denominations like the Assemblies of God, Christian Missionary Alliance and Pentecostals moved in during the next century, and there are now at least 75 churches and three synagogues in the region.
Many new, mostly nondenominational Christian congregations have formed in the last two decades. These include Saratoga Abundant Life, Saratoga Springs (1986); Church of the King , Queensbury (1995); Adirondack Christian Fellowship, Gansevoort (1999); New Horizon Church, Wilton (1999); New Life Fellowship, Wilton (2000); New Hope Community Church, Queensbury (2000); Northway Christian Fellowship, Malta (2002) and Clifton Park (2006); Fruitful Vine Christian Church, Fort Edward (2002); Life Christian Center, Saratoga Springs (2005).
10/9/06
Dave Shacket isn't a farmer, but he believes he has something important to plant.
He and his wife, Penny, moved to Saratoga Springs last year to start a nondenominational church called Life Christian Center, an offshoot of Cornerstone Community Church in Albany.
The church is one of many nondenominational congregations that have sprouted in this region in recent years, following a national trend. Most tend to feature a casual atmosphere with modern music, often in warehouse-style buildings that favor function over aesthetics. The emphasis is
usually on practical preaching and Bible study, with little or no ritual.
Shacket, 34, was teaching music in the Schenectady school district when the idea of a career change took root six years ago.
"The very beginning of the process is that you feel like God wants you to lead your own church, and others in authority around you recognize it," he said. He joined Cornerstone's staff as an associate pastor, and soon began to sense it was time to start something new.
He believes he is called to Saratoga Springs, specifically, because this is where he and Penny feel they received the same message from God as they were out for a drive one day a few years ago.
"You're leaving home," was the thought that came to Dave's mind. He kept it to himself, so he was startled when Penny turned to him and said, "This is it, isn't it?"
He's never been to seminary, but said he doesn't think that's important.
"The way we see it, pastoring is a gift more than an education," he said. "And I've heard it said, if you can do anything else besides be a pastor -- do something else! You have to know that God is calling you."
That call is gender-exclusive, in his opinion.
"The position of a pastor, as we see it in the Bible, is for a man," he said, adding that women can "perform pastoral functions" like teaching children and other women.
But his conservative theological stance on female pastors is mixed with a liberal view of the church's role in society.
The name Life Christian Center comes from a verse in the book of John, he explained.
"It says Jesus came to give people more abundant life," he said. "So we're thinking, what can we bring to the community to help people live better lives?"
Establishing a new congregation of worshippers isn't easy, especially in a city that already has at least 20 existing congregations. Shackett began by looking at demographic studies and talking to local pastors to determine what types of churches already existed.
"I don't mean to imply that there aren't already good churches here," Shackett said. "But our vision is just different from theirs."
So different, in fact, that Life Christian Center inspired a new category in The Talking Phone Book's yellow pages.
It didn't fit in under "Churches -- Catholic," "Churches -- Methodist," or even "Churches -- Various Denominations, Non-Denominational."
Life Christian Center is the sole entry under "Churches -- Community."
Shackett wants to create a church that's an outreach, not an enclave.
"Most people's experiences with church are, at best, 'I got it, it's OK, but it has nothing to do with my life during the rest of the week,'" he said. "But if we're really talking about God, capital 'G,' then church should be fun, relevant and enjoyable -- and it should apply to your whole life, not just Sunday mornings."
While most pastors receive a salary drawn in part from members' contributions, the Shacketts have an independent income through Dave's Web site design business.
And while most churches are centered in a building, Life Christian Center rents space from the high school to hold Sunday morning services. Throughout the week, church members host classes and discussion groups that are open to anyone in the community. Video-based courses on topics like financial management, leadership development, and parenting are part of the mix, as well as more traditional Bible studies.
"Churches are generally looked at as 'We're us; you're you, join us if you want,' and I think that's incredibly ineffective and unbiblical," Shackett said. "A church is supposed to be a shining light in the community, with no expectation of return."
LOGGING ON: www.saratogachurch.com
History of churches in the region
The Baptists, Presbyterians, Episcopals, Methodists, Congregationalists and Catholics all established churches near the centers of Saratoga Springs and Glens Falls during the 19th century.
"As in everything else, the village has never been backward in the worship of God, and the village today can boast of nine churches supported by a large and prominent congregation," declared an article in the Dec. 25, 1889 issue of the Saratoga Union.
Newer denominations like the Assemblies of God, Christian Missionary Alliance and Pentecostals moved in during the next century, and there are now at least 75 churches and three synagogues in the region.
Many new, mostly nondenominational Christian congregations have formed in the last two decades. These include Saratoga Abundant Life, Saratoga Springs (1986); Church of the King , Queensbury (1995); Adirondack Christian Fellowship, Gansevoort (1999); New Horizon Church, Wilton (1999); New Life Fellowship, Wilton (2000); New Hope Community Church, Queensbury (2000); Northway Christian Fellowship, Malta (2002) and Clifton Park (2006); Fruitful Vine Christian Church, Fort Edward (2002); Life Christian Center, Saratoga Springs (2005).
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Profile of a local "dog whisperer"
Published in The Post-Star (D1)
10/01 /06
There's a thin line between crazy and gifted, and it looks a lot like the scars criss-crossing Dan Rossignol's arms and hands.
"I earned each one. Each one gave me a higher alpha status," he explained.
In the same nonchalant voice, thick with the unhurried vowels of northern Maine, he told a tale of climbing into a cage no wider than his shoulders with a massive stray dog that was recently trapped.
"Boy, did he give me the three-minute warning," he said, demonstrating the sideways, slit-eyed glare of a dog debating whether to attack. "I had to work quick."
His uncanny self-confidence is based in a simple belief.
"I like to think God has given me a gift," he said. "I can get inside most dog's minds."
Rossignol is a former fast food executive-turned-dog trainer who specializes in dealing with biting dogs and other tough canine cases, advertising his formula as "love + persistence = success."
Often, he's the pet-owner's version of "Supernanny," helping humans re-establish authority in households where they have allowed their dogs to rule.
"You guys have to put yourselves in the alpha position," he told a recent pair of clients, Richard and Carol Kenny of Lake George. They called Rossignol because their 9-month-old German shepherd, Dugan, wasn't obeying them.
"He's a good dog, but he thinks our hands are chew toys, and he doesn't listen to commands," Richard said.
Obedience is especially important to them, he explained, because their last dog survived a fall through the ice by responding to a call to "come."
Rossignol began the lesson by walking Dugan around the yard on a short leash, teaching him to heel -- or, as he says it, "fooz," using the German word (spelled "Fuss") for foot.
He later explained that he always uses German commands because the hard consonant endings "penetrate their ears more."
"Sitz," he told Dugan, using the word for "sit."
Apparently, the German shepherd was an English speaker. Dugan remained standing, his head cocked in curiosity.
"I don't say it tough enough? You see me as a wimp?" Rossignol asked the dog, laughing. Then he grew serious and barked out the command again:
"SITZ!"
Dugan sat.
Later in the lesson, Rossignol recommended putting Dugan in a crate sometimes during his owners' absence or at night.
"A crate gives him a place to defuse and really rest," he said, explaining that most dogs are relieved when they're taken out of the "alpha" position in a household.
"It's all about establishing control," he said. "As soon as you do that, the dog's gonna be calmer, because they feel there's someone sharing the responsibility. They don't have to be guarding all the time."
Later, the Kennys said Dugan was doing much better.
"He's still a puppy, but when we give him the commands, he listens right up," Carol said. "It's not a miracle overnight, it's a work in progress, but it's helped us a lot."
Dog whisperer?
It's impossible not to compare Rossignol -- with his neatly groomed silver hair and mustache, slightly foreign accent, and knack for canine impersonation -- to celebrity trainer Cesar Millan, star of cable television's "The Dog Whisperer." Rossignol said he's a fan of the show, and falls asleep watching it some nights.
"I like Cesar because he brought sensibility back into dog training," he said. "And when his show came out, my business doubled!"
Rossignol got into the dog business in 1988, after many years of running McDonald's franchises with his wife, Dolores. He was looking for a new challenge when he responded to an ad for a handler to work with police dog trainer Judy Sherman in Westfield, Mass.
She scoffed at his lack of experience, but he passed her test, which involved wearing a thick leather sleeve and an angry Rottweiler on his arm for several minutes. And he was willing to work for free.
Four years later, Rossignol was ready to start his own business, Ausdauer Dog Training. He makes house calls all over northeastern New York and western Massachusetts, sometimes bringing the toughest cases back to his home for a few weeks of intensive training.
Last month, he traveled farther than usual after a surprising phone call.
"I need you," the female voice said, introducing herself as Katherine Glanker.
"I said OK, where do you live?" he remembered. "She said, 'Memphis.'"
The next few days were like one of the episodes of "The Dog Whisperer" that feature wealthy celebrity clients. Katherine is a successful hotel executive whose husband, Frank, made his fortune as Elvis Presley's lawyer.
"Elvis wasn't really a pure kid," Rossignol reflected later. "There were many times when Frank would have to get him out of trouble."
In this case, Frank and Katherine were in trouble. They had recently taken in a young female Labrador retriever and their older dog -- also a female Lab -- had greeted the newcomer with alarming viciousness. Desperate for help, they discovered Rossignol on the Internet.
"Can you be here tomorrow?" Katherine asked. She bought his plane ticket and sent a driver to pick him up at the airport.
"We drove down this road, and there's a big fence for a couple of blocks, I figured it was a park or something," Rossignol said. "Turns out, it's their yard!"
He spent the next two days at the Glanklers' mansion, achieving a fragile peace between the dogs by the end.
"The older one was definitely not accepting any competition as the alpha female," he said. "If I had to do it all over again, I'd bring her here, teach her some manners from my dogs. There's only so much you can do in 48 hours."
Katherine eventually decided it would be best to find another home for the younger dog, but sent Dan a letter of praise.
"I don't see it as something that didn't work out, but something that ended like it was supposed to," she wrote.
"I have never been been treated so well in all my life," Rossignol said of his Memphis trip. "They were just beautiful people."
Back to business
Most of Rossignol's clients aren't wealthy socialites -- sometimes, they can't pay at all. He takes one free case a month from animal shelters, usually "a biter" that would be unadoptable without training.
"I am the only trainer in this area who takes biting dogs, but I tell you what, it's worth it," he said. "About 99 percent of them can be turned around."
Sometimes, the problem is as simple as leash-training and can be resolved quickly. Cases like that have more to do with the owner than the pet, Rossignol said.
"I'd say about 70 percent of what I train is humans, and 30 percent dogs."
On a recent weekday afternoon, he made a first-time visit to the Hudson Falls home of Angela Fagan, owner of a 2-year-old Staffordshire terrier named Gunner.
"He's the best dog I could ever ask for, he's not aggressive at all, but he just doesn't listen to me sometimes," she explained. "But I'm told I baby him, so maybe I'm part of the problem."
Rossignol took Gunner for several walks up and down the street, keeping the dog on his right on a fairly short leash. With every turn, he angled his body toward the dog, showing dominance.
Then he coached Fagan as she tried it.
"See -- now you're the alpha leader! You hot shot!" he told her. "Don't look at him. Nose up in the air like you own the whole world. Relax, 'cause you're the boss."
After about 20 minutes, Rossignol decided the lesson was over.
"Look at him," he said, gesturing at Gunner. "He's had enough. He needs a break."
The next day, Fagan said she was impressed.
"When Dan left, I was apprehensive that what he was teaching wasn't going to stick after such a short time," she said. "But I can definitely see a difference today."
There's only one breed that Rossignol said he still hasn't figured out -- chows.
"They think more like," he paused, his face registering distaste at the next word, "cats."
--
To read more about Dan Rossignol's dog-training business, visit www.dantrainsdogs.com
10/01 /06
There's a thin line between crazy and gifted, and it looks a lot like the scars criss-crossing Dan Rossignol's arms and hands.
"I earned each one. Each one gave me a higher alpha status," he explained.
In the same nonchalant voice, thick with the unhurried vowels of northern Maine, he told a tale of climbing into a cage no wider than his shoulders with a massive stray dog that was recently trapped.
"Boy, did he give me the three-minute warning," he said, demonstrating the sideways, slit-eyed glare of a dog debating whether to attack. "I had to work quick."
His uncanny self-confidence is based in a simple belief.
"I like to think God has given me a gift," he said. "I can get inside most dog's minds."
Rossignol is a former fast food executive-turned-dog trainer who specializes in dealing with biting dogs and other tough canine cases, advertising his formula as "love + persistence = success."
Often, he's the pet-owner's version of "Supernanny," helping humans re-establish authority in households where they have allowed their dogs to rule.
"You guys have to put yourselves in the alpha position," he told a recent pair of clients, Richard and Carol Kenny of Lake George. They called Rossignol because their 9-month-old German shepherd, Dugan, wasn't obeying them.
"He's a good dog, but he thinks our hands are chew toys, and he doesn't listen to commands," Richard said.
Obedience is especially important to them, he explained, because their last dog survived a fall through the ice by responding to a call to "come."
Rossignol began the lesson by walking Dugan around the yard on a short leash, teaching him to heel -- or, as he says it, "fooz," using the German word (spelled "Fuss") for foot.
He later explained that he always uses German commands because the hard consonant endings "penetrate their ears more."
"Sitz," he told Dugan, using the word for "sit."
Apparently, the German shepherd was an English speaker. Dugan remained standing, his head cocked in curiosity.
"I don't say it tough enough? You see me as a wimp?" Rossignol asked the dog, laughing. Then he grew serious and barked out the command again:
"SITZ!"
Dugan sat.
Later in the lesson, Rossignol recommended putting Dugan in a crate sometimes during his owners' absence or at night.
"A crate gives him a place to defuse and really rest," he said, explaining that most dogs are relieved when they're taken out of the "alpha" position in a household.
"It's all about establishing control," he said. "As soon as you do that, the dog's gonna be calmer, because they feel there's someone sharing the responsibility. They don't have to be guarding all the time."
Later, the Kennys said Dugan was doing much better.
"He's still a puppy, but when we give him the commands, he listens right up," Carol said. "It's not a miracle overnight, it's a work in progress, but it's helped us a lot."
Dog whisperer?
It's impossible not to compare Rossignol -- with his neatly groomed silver hair and mustache, slightly foreign accent, and knack for canine impersonation -- to celebrity trainer Cesar Millan, star of cable television's "The Dog Whisperer." Rossignol said he's a fan of the show, and falls asleep watching it some nights.
"I like Cesar because he brought sensibility back into dog training," he said. "And when his show came out, my business doubled!"
Rossignol got into the dog business in 1988, after many years of running McDonald's franchises with his wife, Dolores. He was looking for a new challenge when he responded to an ad for a handler to work with police dog trainer Judy Sherman in Westfield, Mass.
She scoffed at his lack of experience, but he passed her test, which involved wearing a thick leather sleeve and an angry Rottweiler on his arm for several minutes. And he was willing to work for free.
Four years later, Rossignol was ready to start his own business, Ausdauer Dog Training. He makes house calls all over northeastern New York and western Massachusetts, sometimes bringing the toughest cases back to his home for a few weeks of intensive training.
Last month, he traveled farther than usual after a surprising phone call.
"I need you," the female voice said, introducing herself as Katherine Glanker.
"I said OK, where do you live?" he remembered. "She said, 'Memphis.'"
The next few days were like one of the episodes of "The Dog Whisperer" that feature wealthy celebrity clients. Katherine is a successful hotel executive whose husband, Frank, made his fortune as Elvis Presley's lawyer.
"Elvis wasn't really a pure kid," Rossignol reflected later. "There were many times when Frank would have to get him out of trouble."
In this case, Frank and Katherine were in trouble. They had recently taken in a young female Labrador retriever and their older dog -- also a female Lab -- had greeted the newcomer with alarming viciousness. Desperate for help, they discovered Rossignol on the Internet.
"Can you be here tomorrow?" Katherine asked. She bought his plane ticket and sent a driver to pick him up at the airport.
"We drove down this road, and there's a big fence for a couple of blocks, I figured it was a park or something," Rossignol said. "Turns out, it's their yard!"
He spent the next two days at the Glanklers' mansion, achieving a fragile peace between the dogs by the end.
"The older one was definitely not accepting any competition as the alpha female," he said. "If I had to do it all over again, I'd bring her here, teach her some manners from my dogs. There's only so much you can do in 48 hours."
Katherine eventually decided it would be best to find another home for the younger dog, but sent Dan a letter of praise.
"I don't see it as something that didn't work out, but something that ended like it was supposed to," she wrote.
"I have never been been treated so well in all my life," Rossignol said of his Memphis trip. "They were just beautiful people."
Back to business
Most of Rossignol's clients aren't wealthy socialites -- sometimes, they can't pay at all. He takes one free case a month from animal shelters, usually "a biter" that would be unadoptable without training.
"I am the only trainer in this area who takes biting dogs, but I tell you what, it's worth it," he said. "About 99 percent of them can be turned around."
Sometimes, the problem is as simple as leash-training and can be resolved quickly. Cases like that have more to do with the owner than the pet, Rossignol said.
"I'd say about 70 percent of what I train is humans, and 30 percent dogs."
On a recent weekday afternoon, he made a first-time visit to the Hudson Falls home of Angela Fagan, owner of a 2-year-old Staffordshire terrier named Gunner.
"He's the best dog I could ever ask for, he's not aggressive at all, but he just doesn't listen to me sometimes," she explained. "But I'm told I baby him, so maybe I'm part of the problem."
Rossignol took Gunner for several walks up and down the street, keeping the dog on his right on a fairly short leash. With every turn, he angled his body toward the dog, showing dominance.
Then he coached Fagan as she tried it.
"See -- now you're the alpha leader! You hot shot!" he told her. "Don't look at him. Nose up in the air like you own the whole world. Relax, 'cause you're the boss."
After about 20 minutes, Rossignol decided the lesson was over.
"Look at him," he said, gesturing at Gunner. "He's had enough. He needs a break."
The next day, Fagan said she was impressed.
"When Dan left, I was apprehensive that what he was teaching wasn't going to stick after such a short time," she said. "But I can definitely see a difference today."
There's only one breed that Rossignol said he still hasn't figured out -- chows.
"They think more like," he paused, his face registering distaste at the next word, "cats."
--
To read more about Dan Rossignol's dog-training business, visit www.dantrainsdogs.com
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