3/17/07

If I could ask for some help here

I know it's selfish, but I'm going to ask for your assistance.



head to the seroanoke blog and please read the "to help ourselves" post.



All I ask is that you read it, and if you support the cause - leave a comment on the project page.



Thanks.

3/16/07

Poblacht na hÉireann

IRISHMEN AND IRISHWOMEN: In the name of God and of the dead generations from which she receives her old tradition of nationhood, Ireland, through us, summons her children to her flag and strikes for her freedom.



Having organized and trained her manhood through her secret revolutionary organization, the Irish Republican Brotherhood, and through her open military organizations, the Irish Volunteers and the Irish Citizen Army, having patiently perfected her discipline, having resolutely waited for the right moment to reveal itself, she now seizes that moment, and, supported by her exiled children in America and by gallant allies in Europe, but relying in the first on her own strength, she strikes in full confidence of victory.



We declare the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland, and to the unfettered control of Irish destinies, to be sovereign and indefeasible. The long usurpation of that right by a foreign people and government has not extinguished the right, nor can it ever be extinguished except by the destruction of the Irish people. In every generation the Irish people have asserted their right to national freedom and sovereignty: six times during the past three hundred years they have asserted it in arms. Standing on that fundamental right and again asserting it in arms in the face of the world, we hereby proclaim the Irish Republic as a Sovereign Independent State, and we pledge our lives and the lives of our comrades-in-arms to the cause of its freedom, of its welfare, and its exaltation among the nations.



The Irish Republic is entitled to, and hereby claims, the allegiance of every Irishman and Irishwoman. The Republic guarantees religious and civil liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities to all its citizens, and declares its resolve to pursue the happiness and prosperity of the whole nation and of all its parts, cherishing all the children of the nation equally, and oblivious of the differences carefully fostered by an alien government, which have divided a minority from the majority in the past.



Until our arms have brought the opportune moment for the establishment of a permanent National Government, representative of the whole people of Ireland and elected by the suffrages of all her men and women, the Provisional Government, hereby constituted, will administer the civil and military affairs of the Republic in trust for the people.



We place the cause of the Irish Republic under the protection of the Most High God, Whose blessing we invoke upon our arms, and we pray that no one who serves that cause will dishonor it by cowardice, inhumanity, or rapine. In this supreme hour the Irish nation must, by its valor and discipline and by the readiness of its children to sacrifice themselves for the common good, prove itself worthy of the august destiny to which it is called.





Warning

I will be down at the St. Pat's Parade tomorrow, releasing the inner celt once again.



I will try to wear the Forgotten-Roanoke jacket, provided it's not too cold and windy.



If not.. well, I'll be the one NOT drinking green beer, not dressed like a leprechaun, and probably not wearing a silly hat/beads/glasses or anything similar.



But swing by if you can.. say Hi.

News FLASH!!!!!

This just in...



For your edification and amusement - Roanoke-Found can now be found online at Roanoke-found.com....



makes it much easier for you to remember it when you pass it around the watercooler..



thats Roanoke-found.com



And remember.. N-E-S-T-L-E-S makes the very best.. sweet dreams you can't resist.



(ed.-nothing to do with anything.. somethings not right with that boy.)

A new agenda

The new City Council Agenda is up here.

Notable: Another Amendment to the city code (trying it again) to allow no "possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages within designated park facilities after 12:00am."
So I guess we are going to try this again, slightly revised. Let's see what happens this time.

Nearly a year later

The Star City Bloggers Alliance was formed nearly 1 year ago, in April of 2006. We had one official meeting, a success I would say - but perhaps too early.

Fast forward another year: The core bloggers from the first SCBA are still at it. FireFleitz, Ms. Elenaeous, ATL, Stuart Mease, KJC & Andrew Kantor.

Perhaps we were just jumping the gun at the time. Or perhaps De Espresso was so warm we were all lulled into a near-sleep?

Regardless, the initial SCBA was what it was - a loose confederation of bloggers meeting for the comradeship.

Now, it's apparent that the blogging scene in Roanoke has grown farther in the past year than anyone could have predicted. Based on the comments I have received in the past 24 hours, I do think it's time for SCBA2.0.

Follow this link to the calender: Calender at Airset.com

Sign up for an account, or I can invite you to the SCBA. All I need is an e-mail address, and thats it.

We will get something organized within the next month for a meet-up. Send me your info roanoke.found and we can get this rolling again.

3/15/07

IN the offing

Constant Commenter The Jefferson St. Realist mentions that perhaps, in the future - a casual meetup of Roanoke bloggers would be nice.



Sounds familiar, no?



So let's try this one more time. How about another round of the Star City Bloggers Alliance.



Anyone wants to get involved - e-mail me. Address is in profile. I will use the same co-operative calender system as last time, so if you are already signed up - you know where to go. If not, give me a holler and I will add you.



This time, it's personal.

What I learned today

Things I learned today at the Roanoke Biz2Biz blog summit.



  1. Tech guys are tech guys, no matter what the topic.
  2. I share something in common with the site developer from Roanoke Biz2Biz.
  3. Friends should encourage friends to blog, and often.
  4. I can do public speaking, without a microphone.
  5. We need to do more things like this more often.
Promise ya, next time will be bigger, better, and more news-worthy.



All in all though, a good show.



Todays the day

WDBJ Community Room, 12-2p



Roanoke Biz2Biz Blog convention...



$10 bucks to get in, lunch provided.



Report follows later.



In the words of Al Bundy: "Let's Rock."

3/14/07

Busy day here at F-R Headquarters

As we prepare for the usual St. Patrick's Day festivities, I am also preparing for tomorrow's Roanoke Biz2Biz/WDBJ7 Blog Summit.



Roanoke Biz2Biz will sponsor a marketing workshop for businesspeople in Roanoke, Salem, Bedford and New River Valley to learn how blogs can be used as an affordable marketing tool for their business. Stuart Mease will help facilitate the event. There will be blogging experts from around the valley sharing their expertise. Speakers include Tom Markiewicz, CEO EvolvePoint, Pat Matthews, CEO WEBMAIL.us, Andrew Cohill, CEO Design Nine, Sean Pecor, President Digital Spinner, and yours truly, Mr. RoanokeFound.



It will be in the Community Room at WDBJ7, and space is VERY limited (less than 10 spots remain in a room that holds 60). If you are interested, know that it will cost $10 to get in, but lunch is provided - and e-mail patsy@roanokebiz2biz.com indicating your interest.



TIME IS CRITICAL AS THERE ARE FEW SPACES LEFT



That is all... Carry on, my wayward son.



From 12p-2p will be the speakers lineup, and we have the room until 3p. I have to duck out shortly around 2:30 or so due to a previous appointment.



3/12/07

This just in....

This image still exists today - with less horses, and more modernization. It is in a very successful city, which bears an eerie resemblance to a certain other city. Look at the photo, and ask yourself. Roanoke or elsewhere?

3/11/07

A Proper Pint - your weekend wow.

I'd like to congratulate Mr. Chip Moore for at least attempting an Irish pub.



But at the same time, after reading the article - I wish someone else had instead of him.





"Every big city you go to, you see Irish pubs," Moore explained, but most of them are chains. In New York, for example, Moore saw plenty of what purported to be Irish pubs. Open the door, though, and "you wouldn't know it was an Irish pub. They looked like an Applebee's."



I can rattle off a list of 8 to 10 true pubs off the top of my head, and know I'm missing probably a hundred more. Yet Mr. Moore somehow could not find one real pub to save his life.



And do not get me started on the downtown weekend business thing.



In the interests of charity, I'll leave this alone for now. Suffice it to say if Kara O's was operated like Mr. Moore plans the pub - it would have been severely less than welcoming.



(for reference)

GUINNESS® Draught is best served at 6°C (that’s 42.8°F), with the legendary two-part pour. First, tilt the glass to 45 degrees and carefully pour until three quarters full. Then place the glass on the bar counter and leave to settle. Once the surge has settled, fill the glass to the brim. It takes about 119.5 seconds to pour the perfect pint. But don’t fret. It’s worth the wait. (via Guinness.com)



Test yourself »