Skilled Hands will not fail you

Todays Times has an article on something I've been saying for a long long time now. When I graduated high school back in 93, I was one of a handful that graduated who was actuely interested in blue collar work. Sure I wanted to go to college (although after my years in high school I should have known better) and get some form of degree - but working a desk job never totally appealed to me. I was always an attention whore. I love shmoozing the public.

So while I entered the collegiate world, I was not totally happy there. I had my interests, but a degree program never allowed me the flexibility I wanted to learn as I saw fit. See the problem? I had a great attitude about learning.

Working in a kitchen and a deli did wonders for me. I showed me opportunities I never considered, and taught me about the publics desires. Giving me an inkling on how to market myself and the products I was dealing with.

I consider those early years my education. It's where I cut my teeth on getting sweaty and dirty, and the payoff of a hard days labor. And Im not just talking a paycheck either. Im talking about the satisfaction of knowing I did my best, and made people happy.

And thats something that those in the white collar world, all my classmates who went into computing and law and all that will never know. I spent time in the white collar world - and I can honestly say working 9-5 is a wonderful thing. But it's hollow.

Now it's been said that behind the skin of every good cook is a rockstar waiting to break free. And there is good reason for that. Be you a bricklayer, tin-knocker, baker, or landscaper - you create. And create endlessly. Each day you are a step closer to your goal. For a cook - that goal is satified clients who tell friends. For a mason, its finishing the wall to specs. For a landscaper, its 4 seasons of beauty.

And aside from the obvious near-instant gratification you can get in a blue collar job, theres the intangible things as well. My personal view is it's a legacy. If you, as a cook, can expand business - and bring new ideas and foods to the table - have them accepted, and sell well - you've just created a legacy. How many of us can say we remember certain dishes when we were kids - and how they changed the way we eat?

Have you ever walked by a wall, caught some plaster medallion out of the corner of your eye, stood back - and marveled at the overall design of the structure?

Part of what Forgotten-Roanoke is all about is a big thank-you to those who built this town. It's an appreciation for the craftsman, the artisans, the folks who bled, sweat, and bled some more to get this town done. It's looking at what they created, and why. And each brick laid in this town has meaning, has a story.

Plus, heres the real deal about blue collar work. Sure its tough, and sure it keeps you running - but all the really high tech developments are coming home, and they are going to need people to install them. Make them work properly. Run the wires behind walls and all that. as more high-tech comes home, the more we need qualified people to install it. Even the materials themselves are changing - look at the C2C program.

Ask yourselves this: Do you want to be held hostage by a plumber? You will be, if your kids do not understand the value of having a trade. The fewer plumbers, carpinters, bricklayers we have- the more they can charge. You want your kid to make money? Forget being a doctor - too restrictive. The malpractice insurance alone could crush any profit. A lawyer? Well, there is an arguement to be made for that - but thats all it is. Arguing. Computers and all the rest - well, half my class went into the computer field - and last I heard, half of that half had to go back to school to learn a entirely new trade. The market is flooded with computer programmers and such.

Parents, tell your kids - Blue Collar ain't so bad. It provides a good life, a stable life. And theres a sense of personal satisfaction you will not get anywhere else. Besides - your kid could be the next Lee Iacocca. There are no limits to what you can do with your hands and your brain.

So today was April right?

What a beautiful day. We have been taking it easy here at HQ, enjoying the nice weather and giving the dogs a chance to run.

Happy to report the new AC Moore is a nice place, full of nice stuff. Kinda what you would expect from a store.

Did some light camerawork today, will have stuff up on Flickr later, or tomorrow. One of the two. Sorry about the whole Podcasting thing, but I got a new phone this weekend, upgraded from my old junky thing - and I've been tooling around with the configurations on it.

A good ol' Nokia.

Trusty, reliable, and no silly frills like cameras or excess buttons.

Anyway, things progress as always here. See ya when I see ya.

Oh, coming soon - easily identifiable F-R streetwear. Now you can track us like GPS... but don't get in our photos. Ok?

Ok - heres the sched. (M-String included)

Im off this weekend, for more photo-adventuring. I'm going to drop a live audiocast at some point today. That will be this weeks podcast. I figure a live one would be different enough to keep you interested. So keep checking back for that before 5pm today.

I might do one over the weekend, depending on where my hunting takes me.

Im gonna try and shake the quantuum particle hyperdimensional string theory physics thing this weekend too, so you might just have to suffer through another post about it. But I think you'll be ok.

Let's say this much for now: We live in a 10-dimensional universe, possibly more. But atleast 10.

I am going to try and add a few peices to the Orphans page, so you all have something to look forward to over the weekend. Me.

And with any luck, I can finish this position paper I've been working on. But we can hope.

Uh Oh

Some dark corner of my soul has been re-awakened by an article posted on Fark.com of all places. Other Dimensions might soon be detected.

You might not understand this, but I am a closet physicist. And while I might not understand all the math (ok, none of the math) I do grasp the concepts of hyperdimensional physics, and am able to easily extrapolate them further than any sane individual would.

The words "string theory" perked up some long dark corner deep inside me. Something I had forgotten about for a while.

I can ramble on and on about "phase variance" and "material transferance" and your eyes would glaze over, you would walk away slowly. Its not for everyone, I understand.. but forgive me if I lapse from time to time into DeepThought (42) and pull a rabbit out of a brick.

Yes, you heard me. And yes, it's entirely possible.

Thats the beauty of quantuum hyperdimensional physics. Everything is possible, you just have to explain it.

For example: You have been told since you were young, "We are all stardust." And yes, it's true. We are. The very same particles that make us individual were not created just for us - the spirit that makes them move, love, laugh, and live - thats an entirely other matter. But the physical being known as you is the very same substance (recombined) that created worlds. Galaxies.

We are all stardust.

Photons fall at an alarming rate through the universe, this way and that. While you read this, there are most likely billions of them passing directly through your body. Slamming into your head at alarming speeds, and passing right out your feet (if your standing). Now, the question is - do they simply pass through, or is there displacement?

A single photon can be the catylist for massive change, on the order of an atomic reaction - or can pass un-noticed through the world. We know photons carry weight, albeit minimal on a level most of us can't comprehend, but they do have weight.

So as I said, do they displace, or simply pass through?

And what about that there "dark matter"? The very essence of the universe? Well, I can't answer all those questions, but I can theorize. But I will attempt to restrain myself. However, if you seek more logical and studious information, I would like to direct your attention to Michio Kaku.
/> can explain particle and string physics like you would tell someone how to get from here to there. Simply and definitively.

Anyway - Im off to go collect some photons and dream a little string...

Finally, the moment you've been waiting for (feelin kinda grumbly)

My commentary on the new Roanoke Times online..

My biggest complaint is the design, its extremely jumbled and, for an average user, very frustrating. And thanks for disabling the right-click feature so now I actually have to use my back button (which I rarely ever use) rather than my usual rightclick-back. You've also taken away my ability to open an article in a new window, thus ensuring that the main portal page is now rubber cement. Your stuck there, and you just keep bouncing back.

Also, would someone please download Firefox there? It's really simple to use, and includes many features which will be found in the new Microsoft Internet Explorer, when it ships with Windows Vista. Most of those features you have blocked with your new design. Oh yeah, and thanks for dropping us bloggers off the main page (remember back when the Blog of the Day was actually changed day by day?) in favor of your two blogs.

If your going to block everything in sections (New River Valley.. The Lake.. Business....) maybe you should invest in someone with the coding know-how to run Ajax or Ruby on Rails, so the user can customize their own start-page. The homepage information is still static, the headlines for The Lake and Neighbors has not changed in a week or so.

The Times updates its entire site at 1:30am, but doesn't seem to free it of errors until later in the morning. I can look over the site now and still find the same errors that were online when the update went live.

There is plenty to like about the new Times homepage, but it still needs plenty of work. But please, clean up your CSS sheet, and cut out all the gaudyness.

Now - to another topic on the main page, real estate. As you all know I, your future Overlord, and my wife are currently searching for a new HQ. So I tend to read any story on the Roanoke Valley's real estate market with keen interest. But I have to say, never have I seen a delusion to this extent played out on paper. I was told that every house is priced over assesment, which is true - but the prices that are being asked are way over assesment, and for homes which should be valued way under assesment. I've looked at houses in undesireable areas (more commercial than residential, and not convient to anything) where the price was firm. And I mean firm, yet the sellers were allegedy motivated. How can you be motivated and yet not change your price? Thats not motivated by any stretch of the imagination.

I've been in houses which need more work than one would normally care to do. Again, the price is non-negotiable. If I have to invest 10k to clean and repair the home, Im not going to pay you that 10k AND pay it out to have the work done. That's stupid on my part.

And yet even with all the work these homes needs, the prices stay firm. And sit, and sit, and sit for months on the market. And Im not kidding about that. Im talking 3 months average for some of the homes We have seen, with no price change. After 3 months, do you not think there may be an issue?I'd be willing to say there is...

If you want to sit on your property until someone stupid enough comes along to pay full price, then make that clear from the outset. Stop playing games.

I realize the Roanoke Real Estate system is different from the one Im used to in NY, but for all those differences, the delusions are still the same. And Im not sure if the blame lies with the agents or the sellers.

/end rant

Just a note on the whole Google/China deal

I have a feeling that Google knows it's audience well enough to know that even though they have to work with restrictions in China, there are always ways around them - as any good G-Hacker will tell you. Therefore, I applaud Google in working with China to provide internet search access. And as for the blocking of certain topics - well, hackers - get to work.

And for those industry analyists so short-sighted not to see the probability of wrap-around hacking for the Google user behind an Iron Curtain, ya'll need to get a grip on reality and stop looking at numbers for answers.

Mystery in the park

This time I actually had my camera with me when I was in Elmwood... last time I was there, wandering (safely! unaccosted by the homeless!) and exploring the park, I came across this tree. A tree with pipes embedded within.
Yeah, you heard me - pipes embedded within the tree. And unless it's meant to be an aid to climbing the tree - I can see no reason for a tree to be peirced. I did some futher searching this time with my camera, and came across this:
If you look really closely, inside the hole - at the 11 o'clock position, you can see a grey line. Its a nail. One of 3 which are also embedded within this hole in the tree. I realize I was risking assault by squirrel in taking these photos, but I really need answers. How did the tree gain those nails deep within, to the point where the only parts showing are the sharp ends? The heads must be embedded within the wood itself.

My theory, this tree was once part of the fence corner for Elmwood, back when it was privately owned. And the fence was directly attached to the tree. But even that sounds barely plausible to me. So I turn to you, the viewing public - any ideas?

Chef K walking tour

My buddy Chef K has a walking tour of downtown on a Saturday night, with a report on each restaurant along the way.. interesting read.

I have my own review to make: Nick's Pig and Chicken in the Market building, best damn fries ever. The BBQ was great, but the fries.. oh man. I could live on those fries. Let Chef K have his mussels... I just want fries.

And as for the whole guido thing.. maybe one day I will tell you about them, but if I do - it will not be a proud moment.

Keeping Mill Mountain

href="http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/wb/wb/xp-49524" Mountain protection plan />
This is a no-brainer. The hallmark of Roanoke absolutely needs protection. It should be protected, and lest anyone think otherwise, for example; Someone decides to buy a chunk of Mill Mountain to develop similar to Roanoke County's Slate Hill project - the streets would run with the bl... nevermind that.

The response to the development of Mill Mountain would make Victory Stadium look like a municipal street-cleaning project.

Look, we all love that Mountain. With its shiny star, pretty and serene zoo.. just protect the thing. Plus, where else would you want your Overlord to look down benevolently upon the citizenry of Roanoke.

Oh, and in a side note - I was once up at the pavillion on Mill Mountain having a nice lunch. On the pavillion is a board stating the schedule for who has that space reserved for them. Who reserved this spot atop Mill Mountain for a warm day in June?

Why none other than the mayor himself, along with the city council and support staff. Sounds like a municipal field trip to me. And an idea I highly support, I think its important to get out and get into the city itself, rather than be ensconced in a small room attempting to make big decisions.

I know its winter still, and I know we have a few more months of it to go.. but I'd like to invite the mayor and the entire city council to revisit the top of the mountain - and see whats worth preserving.

Cursed/Woodland Park - a photoset on Flickr

Cursed/Woodland Park - a photoset on Flickr

And here are the companion photos, ones which did not need to be on the same page, but were good none the less.

Forgotten Roanoke

Forgotten Roanoke

Here.. enjoy...

don't yell at me for it afterwards

Technorati tags: roanoke, history, realestate, elmwood

Working in the dungeon

The next page launches later tonight - in time for the ice storm (alleged)

I urge everyone to tell a friend about this page..

this is the big news I've been promising.. the curse of Roanoke explained...

Under perfect conditions today

Forgotten Roanoke hits the streets.

What you may not realize about a day like today is that the ambient light is perfect for playing photographer.

So we will be out and about, and if you see us - if you can figure out who we are, stop by and say hi.

To those who fixed the broken Star...

Thank you.

(see last nights audiopost for clarification, and keep your eyes on the Star more often)

Just noticed something

Roanoke Times Victory Stadium Coverage

I'm beginning to wonder if the Times themselves are not responsible for the quagmire (yes, I said it) that is Victory Stadium? Reading the article, and thinking of past articles, it would seem that the Times is trying to manipulate the reader in several ways, from several angles.

And as always, rather than just reporting, they report with feeling. I don't know, like I said - it seems rather manipulative as I think about it now. And I realize that if the Times had any actual influence on Roanoke Im sure things would be very different, but with declining readership (all newspapers have this problem, not just the Times) it's gotta be tough holding onto that warm-fuzzy monopolistic grip over the Roanoke area.

I must humbly apologize

It does not look like there will be a podcast today. Time is running short, and I have alot to accomplish. Also, I am not yet ready to reveal the big secret. There is still more work to be done, and I will not close this case till it's entombed in concrete. AKA - Stronger than hell, and undeniable.

Yeah - it's just that important.

But anyway, it's a beautiful day - you all should get out there and take advantage of it. It's January, the flies are buzzing and the moths are mothing. You'll not find a better spring day in any winter anywhere.

Im just thankful it's not warm enough for skeeters... or wasps.. or yellowjackets...

and you wonder why I like winter?

Wow..

Am I getting a late start or what? Somedays you can't help but sleep in.

With any luck - I'll have the podcast done around noon. If not, expect it tomorrow morning..

Hey - a reason to come back over the weekend!

If you listen to my previous post...

perhaps you can tell me the phone number for the Mill Moutain Star Hotline - which I read about once before. If a light is out - there is a number you can call to report it.

Well, a lights out..

I have no number.

Position Paper #2: What you want.. Baby, I got it...

In order for Roanoke to continue it's "Magic City" growth, several goals need to be reached. Some are tangible, others are merely ideological. But all are of the utmost importance.

First, it is my belief that Roanoke allready has more to offer than most large cities do. The Times, current City Council, and several others do not see this. They are more than happy to point out the reasons Roanoke does not have things, the things it does not have, and how detrimental to the city it is not to have these things.

We cannot land a 747 at Roanoke Regional. There are plenty of other common sized planes we can land at Roanoke Regional. DC-10s for example. But the key core issue behind the lack of decent transportation at Roanoke Regional continues to be the cost of flying. All airlines are "suffering", hurting for cash. I have been to Roanoke Regional when you could not find a spot to stand for crowds, and times when I have been one of 10 passengers on the incoming flight. Until the cost of airfare becomes more competitive, Roanoke Regional will not see increased traffic.

However, that being said - there are things we can do to create competition. Fully backing the TransDominion Express is a good start. We need, on a local level, to get with the planners and begin work on proper stations. By starting now, rather than after the coming test runs of the TDX, we will be in a better position to launch when any type of commuter rail even looks in our direction -be it the TDX or Amtrak.

We have a vast wealth of natural resources at our command. Mill Mountain, the Greenways, Explore Park - and we are a jumping off point for places like the Peaks of Otter and other natural wonders.

Roanoke sits in a highly desireable climate, sure it gets humid during the summer, but we are sheilded from the very worst storms (usually) and actually have 4 identifiable seasons.

There are those who complain that Roanoke's schools are not up to snuff. To those, I ask them to find schools which are better in a city, with the same circumstances as Roanoke. Pull a comparison - and you will find Roanoke schools are no worse off than other comparable schools. A large part of the success of any school is parental involvement. Through-out America parental involvement is slipping, if not nearly extinguished. Most parents are happy to sit back and wait till the school does something they do not like, then complain to the hills. An active, aggressive citizenry would be a benefit to the educational system here in Roanoke.

There are those who complain that Roanoke's City Council does not act in the best interests of the citizens. It is my claim that they do not act in anyones best interest, including their own.

With blinders on to any problem other than Victory Stadium or the 2 high school stadiums, the City Council is actively failing the citizens of the city. Its greatest advancement to date is the new zoning regulations - which were laid out in the adoption of the Vision 2020 plan. It's not like it took alot of work to ratify something that has been sitting on the side burner for years.

Rather than focus on building upon the good in Roanoke, the city council hires planners and consultants to figure out what the citizens could have told it all along. It brings in groups from outside Roanoke, rather than working with the local firms we do have to build the city past greatness, and towards the future.

That is not to say everything they do is wrong, but they do maintain a status quo standing for the city, immobilized till forcibly motivated.

Roanoke needs leadership who can recognize the value of what we allready have, the wisdom to get what we do need, and the common sense to act when needed.

The Star City of the South should be the City that Sells Itself, with vast natural and physical resources, and yet the focus has been shifted from that which we have, to a laundry list of pop-culture wants and needs. There is much to lose in all this, and little to gain. And if you think businesses and families want to move to a place better served by casual dining franchises, you might want to take another look at that equation.

Just so you're aware..

Sched for rest of week:

Fri- podcast
Sun/Mon - new page

Podcast and blog will sync to reveal that mysterious curse/secret thingy I was telling you about.

so your gonna have to work to keep up with me on this one...

I've been doing some digging

and I have hit a bombshell.....

Im not sure how to unleash it - but again, the question is how...

I'll tease you with this, Roanoke might just have a curse upon it. A curse it placed upon itself, and stores in a highly visible location.

Hold on, its coming....

Forgotten Roanoke's Storefront : CafePress.com

Forgotten Roanoke's Storefront : CafePress.com

By popular request, I have added hoodies.

Poke around, see what ya like.. remember, valentines day is coming. Gifts for the everyone on your list, as long as they dont mind it saying Roanoke.

Ok, no more of this...

From the Letters to the Editor, Roanoke Times:

Taxes, not stadium, should be the issue

I received reassessment notices recently from Roanoke. I own four properties in the city.

The taxes were increased from a low of 7 percent to a high of 15 percent. I assume other owners received similar increases.

This large increase affects every citizen, both renter and property
owner. This increase, coupled with last year's hefty rise, puts an
undue burden on thousands of Roanokers.

It is time for Roanoke City Council and the candidates in the
upcoming election to focus on a meaningful tax-rate reduction instead
of tiresome bickering over the stadium issue.

The first job of local government is to oversee a safe city. The second most important job is to run a cost-efficient city.

Roanoke has, at best, a static population. The inflation rate is in the 3 percent range.

A 7 percent to 15 percent tax increase is not justified, and should be addressed immediately.

Lee T. Lawson

Allright, I've had just about enough of this....

Griping and whining about property taxes going up. Now, where do those taxes go? The city itself - the parks, the schools, the social services, trash collection, police and fire departments...

So you don't want your taxes raised? Then start hauling your trash yourself. Go clean a park. And police your own streets. Fight your own fires.

A city must, in order to be a good and desireable city, provide certain basic services to its residents. The residents must fund the projects, as citys are not non-profit organizations and can only recieve certain grants and funding.

You don't like your assesment going up, well imagine if it went down. Property rates start going down, the cost of the city providing services remains the same, and suddenly - theres no more money to buy another police car. The city will really be unsafe then, as the police and fire department are forced to run skeleton crews.

And heres a secret you won't hear anywhere else. Your property taxes going up means your property is more valueable. And your property value going up is a GOOD THING.

The most desireable properties in the country are in areas where property values go up, city services have no problem with funding, and property taxes are in the high-median range.

Its called a ROI - or Return on Investment. Study it, read about it - its worth it. And that investment you make in the city of your choice, by paying property taxes, determines what kind of city you live in. Being a decent civilian who uses their voice in the business of the city doesnt hurt either.

So go ahead and gripe about your property taxes going up, but I come from an area where property taxes run in the $6-12,000 a year range, and yet everyone wants to be there - paying those high taxes.

Ever wonder why they only pick up the trash once a week for residences but more often for downtown businesses? Think about it.

This just in from our "They had it right" Department...

"No great enterprise, at its inception, or in its early life ever escaped the sneers, the
slanderous utterances, or the woeful anticipations of petty men.

In the building up of our City, we have been met, at times, with base calumny and direful prophecy. Like the proud athlete, conscious of his power, taunted by some boastful weakling, Roanoke, smiling at her defamers, walks steadily forward to take her place among the industrial centers of the earth."

Roanoke Booster Speech (circa 1890)

Think those who wrote that speech yesterday would believe today there are still petty men who do not believe?

Industries change, the greater potential of Roanoke has not.

What's the dilly, yo?

I will award a "Brass Figlagee with Bronze Oakleaf Palm" to anyone who can tell me why, in the name of all that is good, Juniors lunch is like this after all these years. What I am looking for is the actual story of Junior's.

Take one highly visible location, a restaurant with 2 access points, and insert food - you've got a business, or atleast you should. So what's the dilly, yo?

(edit)

I guess on 2nd thought I should be more specific. My real question is WHY has this place been shut and boarded since 1994. I know why it closed, but my question is why is it not on the market? Has it ever been? And what was it before?

Certain of my research tools are down today, but with any luck - I will have more info tomorrow.

Just another day..

Working like a dog, to bring you the finest in Roanoke stuff.

Yes, I said stuff - Im tired allright.

Interesting and new things are ahead, keep your eyes here for the latest in... stuff..

I have to be honest...

There will be no podcast today as upon my 2nd listen (I always listen at least twice before presenting it to you, the audience) I realized it was horrible. Just awful. Well, maybe not so bad - but pretty meandering without apparent intent. And I think that might just be illegal here in Virginia.

Get a ticket for Failure to control thought process.

So no podcast today, maybe tomorrow - at the very least, an audiopost tomorrow - to make up for the lack of a full pod.

What can I say, eet muz be zee wethzer....

Stormee Wezzer...

Quiet days.....

Well, you know the deal - another hour or two and there will be a podcast, which you won't listen to... Because you people don't love me.

But thats ok.. I do it anyway...

Position Paper #1: Decisions, Decisions...

Welcome to the first in a series of position papers written especially for you, the public, so that you may understand my stance on certain topics so that you may readily decide if I am worthy of your support in my bid to become Overlord of Roanoke.

Todays topic: Decisions, Decisions....

As you all know, Victory Stadium has long caused headaches among the electorate in Roanoke. Even as I write this, an independant slate has been announced for City Council. A trio of canidates, each with various backgrounds and experiences, and yet the only issue we have heard about (as of yet) is Victory Stadium, and the stadiums to be built at the High Schools.

As if the City Council is not crippled enough with the talk of "what to do with Victory," and having invited the War of the two Stadiums to dominate water-cooler talk since the Nov. 7th meeting. The lack of decision-making skills on the part of the City Council is disheartening at best. And this is just one issue that nearly brought the city to a halt on several occasions.

The revitalization of Downtown is another matter entirely. The City Market Building lease issues, the Art Museum unable to find a willing contractor and basically allowing one of the most valuable lots downtown to sit vacant. Elmwood Park and the problem of the city's homeless. Jefferson St. and its vast empty retail spaces. The development of downtown living, be it apartments or condominium, and the lack of resources for living downtown 24/7.

And the city council studies, and studies, and waits, and studies... and yet continues to pay for these studies with no decision made. The new zoning regulations are the first step in optimizing space within the city, yet there is still indecision about them.

I see no reason for indecision on any of these issues. Victory Stadium would be the easiest solution. In a nutshell, corporate sponsorship. Victory Stadium at Carilion BioMed. AEP Victory Stadium. Victory Stadium, sponsored by Roanoke Fruit and Produce.

Simply put - allow for sponsorship of the stadium, get a comprehensive list of repairs and upgrades that need to be made, and use the funds raised by sponsorship to do the work. Was that hard?

Oh right, the high school "stadia". Simple enough as well. Permanent steel bleachers, simple brick and mortar bathrooms, a pair of mobile concession stands (one at each school), a simple scoreboard (unless corporate sponsorship wishes to donate a higher tech one in return for their name on the board), and a top notch playing surface. Steel bleachers with perma-seating for 750, depending on traffic counts for each game that number could be adjusted. Dedicated parking for each game, at a fee which would be a donation for the club or group (school based) which operates parking that day/night.

And thats done.

As for the redevelopment of downtown, I know most of you have never heard of it, but the city offers a program for first time homebuyers. Well, perhaps the city could offer a program for first-time business owners. In addition, funds should be available for the city to buy some of the vacant buildings and lots downtown. These properties could then be offered at attractive rates to businesses which are interested in relocating downtown.

Example: The Heironimous building on Jefferson. There is no reason why a building so large should be vacant, with the exception of the current owner being unable to find someone to outright buy the entire building. I know I have touched on this before - but the building could become a magnet for downtown shopping and recreation. A cafe or two, shops, and a one-stop source for all your ticket needs in the Roanoke area would be a perfect use for the space. Along with building regional bonds, (ie. inviting VT to sell some tickets to games at the ticket counter) it would draw people off Market a little further than most go now. Which in turn, would benifit the area surrounding... And perhaps in a few years time, and with regional support, satillite locations could be opened in Greensboro, Blacksburg, Bedford, Danville, Lexington, Lynchburg, Martinsville, and yes, even Smith Mountain Lake.

Every place within a 2 hour drive should be included and a 2-way communication should be opened.

With tickets for the Science Museum being sold in Blacksburg, tickets to Salem Avalanche games being available for pick-up in Martinsville, and Virginia Dare cruise tickets available in Downtown Roanoke, the regional commerce would become truly local. A 2 hour drive is a day trip for most people, and with a destination in mind and tickets in hand - people will travel.

Summation: In short, Roanoke finds itself at the unique moment in history when it would be easiest to upgrade for the future, using that which we have available in the present. The constant studies, expert opinions, and debates have locked Roanoke at a standstill. Roanoke needs decisions, hard and fast, and absolute. But those decisions must be made with an eye towards the future.

Thank you.

Why all the secrecy at Tanglewood?

Stories that contradict themselves abound suddenly - first the rumor was Kohl's last year. Then Kroger was going to take the former Brendle's. Then TJ Maxx, then according to their own spokesperson (in either the Roanoke Times or Blue Ridge Business Journal) claimed the space was being carved up 4 ways.

Now according to this article TJ Maxx is taking the space.

Wonderful, but what was with all the secrecy?

And then this: "The mall will announce at least five new retailers in 2006, Spaid said.
A.C. Moore Arts Crafts is set to open in a space in the front of
the mall, beside the Stein Mart entrance."

AC Moore was supposed to open in (if I remember the sign correctly) Spring 2006. Now it says February, when do we get the real date? A logical thought would be they want to be open by Valentine's Day - snag some of that crafty crowd making gifts for loved ones. But why not say that?

And as for these 5 new retailers to be announced? Are the contract negotiations that tough? You want to upsell the mall and its prospects so that you might attract more clients to the mall, and increased traffic means increased revenue. And increased revenue means more retailers. At least more who would want in...

And what about the former Sleep Zone? Thats a huge building, vacant as can be. Granted it has some of the toughest parking at the mall, but really - wouldn't you want SOMETHING there? Even if it is just a seasonal thing. Although if you look at the expanded map of Tanglewood its not "part" of the Tanglewood property. Theres a listing for every occupied space, and a number for every unoccupied space - so why not show the Sleep Zone?

Secrecy does nothing for sales, especially when theres no tangible signs of development for customers to see. You all at Tanglewood saved the 2 beautiful wooden kiosk-type fronts from the place that constantly had the Robot Rodeo, but then you stuffed them down a side hall.

What are the plans for those? Or are they just waiting another mystery retailer?

And no, you don't have to show all the cards - just give us a hint of whats to come. Clothing, furnishings, candles? Perhaps Restoration Hardware is setting its sites on the Roanoke MSA? Or could it be yet another Yankee Candle Co. shop?

The suspense is not killing us, but the years of dead-empty stores are. And when will you announce new food court vendors? Or is that a dream too?

If I recall correctly, the mall itself is owned by the Boston Teamsters, which should certaily put it on a vastly different playing field than any other maill around. Teamsters do not like to lose money, and rarely do they back a losing horse.

Rough day today

So much time and so little to do......

wait

strike that, reverse it


Updates later tonight.

Just a reminder...

If you ever miss something, feel you've missed something, or want to find out everything I am up to.. SuprGlu!

Roanokefound.suprglu.com

SuprGlu is a one stop source for all my blog postings, all my del.icio.us tags, and all my flickr photos. As they come anyway, the blog posts tend to run about a day behind, the tags half a day - and I havent put a new photo on flickr in weeks now.. because Im lazy.

There will be some coming soon, but the nice part is you can subscribe to my SuprGlu page with an RSS feed, makes things so much the easier for everyone.. heck, even I am subscribed to myself.

This is a worthy letter to the editor?

http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/letters/wb/wb/xp-47647:

Tiny chip to take giant bite from freedom

RFID is radio frequency identification. It's a technology that uses tiny computer chips to track items at a distance.

Log onto spychips.com (use library computers if you don't have a PC).

Read the book "Spychips" by Katherine Albrecht and Liz McIntyre. It's an eye-opener.

This goes way beyond the UPC (Universal Product Code) and the anti-theft code tags.

Three groups have a big interest in secretly using spychip data from the things you own: marketers, government agents and criminals.

For all people who love their country and want to keep their freedoms, check the Web site and read the book. They can also request the book from the library.

If we do not fight now, generations to come will acquiesce, accept and have no freedoms.

georgette lasorso

roanoke

/about the best I can say is, DON THE TINFOIL!!!

Technorati tags: paranoia, conspiracy, newspaper, letters

Remember this...

Even in the wee hours of the night, I'm working for you Roanoke.

So I, your overlord-to-be, is proud to annouce the newest page on

Forgotten-Roanoke.com

If you have a problem finding it, just follow the stars...

Meanwhile.. at the Empty Arms Hotel...

The band played on.... Now I know you probably have no idea what this is, or where. Which makes it all the more important to save. This image, as stylized as it is, in housed in the Ebony Club, over on 1st (Henry). Upon the rear wall of the building, where the stage once was, and the band played... the band plays on...

While the hammers and machines of change and transformation begin their magic on the building, the band plays on...

Quite frankly, the band has probably been there (judging by the style) since the 1930's-40's.

Considering this is still attached to the building, and a part of it, this band is history.

There must be some way to ensure that after the hammers have gone, after the bricks have been revitalized - this band plays on... 

in the interests of fairness...

since I am now an avowed canidate, although for a nonexistant office, in the interests of fairness and "equal time" I must invite all canidates for the existing offices to chime in, either by commenting on my blog or by getting their own blog.

In other words, should you choose to remain silent, it is not my problem if you are or are not elected to a post that may or may not exist when I begin my benevolent reign as Overlord.

Don't say I did not warn you...

Update to the site coming Monday, the 9th.

I'll let you know when to look...

The first podcast of Naught Six

Listen here...

Awww, aint it cute?

Or here

(you can click the little blue play button and listen right on this page.. woo hoo!)

Well.. the time has come

For those of you who did not listen to my last podcast (and there were only 2 who did, so Im talking to essentially all of you) I made an announcement.

A big announcement.

I would like to be your overlord.

In one fell swoop, we could rid ourselves of the city council, the Victory Stadium issue, redevelopment of downtown businesses, and all the small problems that nitpick at our fair city.

Yes Roanoke, I come humbly before you and ask that you raise me up to the level of Overlord, so that I might serve benevolently and charitibly, yet with great vengance and furious anger for those that might stand in the way of the business of Roanoke.

And above all else, I promise one thing, free cookies for all. Including your humble overlord.


Expect position papers as the weeks progress towards election day.

Maybe we need 2 Dr Pepper signs in that case

Dr Pepper sign not unique, expert says

If they dont really seem to care about their sign, maybe we should pop in and buy it from them. I mean, considering it is the original sign and all....

Vick vanquished? Hokies hornswaggled? Nah.. it's just Fark.com!

God I hate seeing local stuff pop up on Fark. They had a blast with the smoking pregnant woman on Jamison/Bullet that made national headlines.

But this time, I don't mind so much. Vick is typical of the majority of todays athletes, so I don't know why all the shock and outrage. The days of classy athletes are over. Of course, part of that is because the media would never allow another "Gentleman" Joe DiMaggio to exist, instead digging into his personal life to dredge up the time he kicked a snail as a kid. Much better reading.

I know how bad tensions on the field can get. But theres the classy way to handle it (get yer digs in when its legit, just hit them a bit harder than you intended) and the modern way, like we saw with Vick.

Goes back to a problem I've been seeing more and more across the country - if you don't ask more of your staff, you can't be suprised when they don't meet your expectations. If you don't ask your players to be more sportsman-like on the field, then do not be suprised when they act out.

But if you want a good chuckle, or are really looking to be annoyed today - read the Fark thread on Vick and the "Chokies" as one poster puts it. It's worth a look.

Roanoke

We have our own mining history, wether or not you realize it.

Theres more than trolley tracks buried under Jefferson. Before the days of the trolley running down Jefferson to Mountain Park, there were rail lines. I've found one reference to a Mt. Pork being in the same viscinity as the back end of Mill Mountain and Roanoke Mountain. However, there is one thing I am clear on - there are (or were) mines on Roanoke Mountain.

I have found numerous references to this in several places, most notably Clare White's own history of Roanoke. Apparently it was simple mining, ore of some sort or another. It was loaded onto open cars and rolled down Jefferson (and possibly Franklin, depending on where you get your info) and off to one of the local foundrys.

Personally, I have never heard anyone speak of mines anywhere in Roanoke. So wether they are capped off and vanished or simply lost to time, no one seems to know. But there used to be mines in Roanoke.

Something to think about in light of the ongoing tragedy in West Virginia.

And if anyone has any information about the mysterious Mt. Pork, I would appreciate hearing about it.

Breaking Industry News

*Sources say Google has been in negotiations with Wal-Mart Stores Inc., among other retailers, to sell a Google PC. The machine would run an operating system created by Google, not Microsoft's Windows, which is one reason it would be so cheap — perhaps as little as a couple of hundred dollars.*

All Hail GOOGLE, bringer of cheap and easy access!

Once again, I kick myself hard for not getting in on the Google IPO - what was it, 88 bucks a share? Currently trading at $420.66

anyone care to give a gift that keeps on giving? I'll take donations in cash, check, or google stock.

Preference for the latter.

Getting back down to the business at hand...

Remember, I did say that in the new year we were going to re-focus on Roanoke and its history. There will be at least one post a day dealing with it, and probably one post a day dealing with current events.

Today we take a look inside a building we have all seen, we know by heart, but we might not know what it is. Or was.

Does it look familiar? Not in the least Im guessing, but tens of thousands of people passed through here in it's heyday. This is the waiting room and some of the offices of the Roanoke Railway & Electric Co. The trolley, if you will. And as usual for the time, the waiting room was ornate. Exposed wood beams, cased in more and richer wood. Extensive use of glass and wood in combination to create a "stately" waiting room. It almost resembles the Old Hotel Roanoke. This photo is circa 1907.



And this photo is circa 2005. It's been a long time since the woodwork and the waiting room. The building retains its classic overhang, glass and wrought-iron. Similar to the overhang at Arzu around the corner. This is the Legg-Mason building. Now home to the Dr Pepper sign, and lots of unoccupied office space. Leasing for $14 a sq. ft. Contact Poe & Cronk for more info, and thanks to them for the recent internal pic (which was hard to find).

Another of the stunning buildings downtown which was even moreso in its heyday.

No sentimentality here....

Happy 2006, now go to bed..

Just a note...

Something Ive been remiss upon.

Mrs. Forgotten-Roanoke would like you all to know that theres a commercial filmed downtown which is constantly being aired now. She wants to know if anyone else can identify the commercial, and the location.

Theres a prize in it, a brass filligree with gold oak leaf.

Write in with your answers and the Mrs. will let you know if your right.

end of the year

I've never been one to really celebrate New Years, mainly because its just another day as far as Im concerned. So Here's to the end of 05 and the beginning of 06.

Ooh, exciting...

Feh.

Odeo: Forgotten Roanoke: The Pod

I told you it was coming. The final podcast of 2005. Another year gone, a new one lies ahead. Contained within the podcast are some notes for the new year, an announcement, and some hints as to whats coming. And some soothing jazz.

By the way - 4 bank robberies in 6 days? Come on, wheres Kojak when you need him.


Odeo: Forgotten Roanoke: The Pod

Technorati tags: roanoke, podcast, forgotten-roanoke, holidays

Busy day.. busy day

So Im going to take the day off from the blog (remember, final festive podcast tomorrow. The Great Holiday Hangover) before we end this random meandering through time and space and get back down to the business at hand.

Roanoke.

So in my absence today, I am going to point you in several directions at once.

First: Chef K has a long and deep post about the lastest restaurants Roanoke has lost. Find it here.

Next: Something you all should be aware of, and using as part of your daily internet experience. Del.Icio.Us Tagging the internet one site at a time. Plug in your search term, and stand back as the sites you know, and sites you never knew existed flood your screen.

Also: The Forgotten-Roanoke store on Cafepress.com. Not much to look at, but if you see something you like - then its not so bad.

Finally: Ever wonder how you can find the dumbest news stories of the day, quickly and easily? It's simple - It's Fark.

Or you can always go trolling through the site over at Forgotten-Roanoke.com to amuse yourself.

Anyway, I'll be back tomorrow with a new podcast, some new postings, and absolutely no "Best/Worst of 2005" lists. I hate those things.

Remember when lyrics meant things..

Pantera - "Cemetary Gates"
(you all know it, scream along)

Reverend, reverend,
Is this a conspiracy?
Crucified for no sins
No revenge... beneath me.
Lost within my plans for life,
It all seems so unreal.
I’m a man cut in half in this world,
Left in my misery.

(instrumental)

The reverend he turned to me
Without a tear in his eyes.
It’s nothing new for him to see,
I didn’t ask him why.
I will remember...
The love our souls had sworn to make.
Now I watch the falling rain
All my mind can see now is your (face).

Well I guess
You took my youth
And gave it all away.
Like the birth of a new found joy,
This love would end in rage...
And when she died
I couldn’t cry,
The pride within my soul.
You left me incomplete
All alone as the memories now unfold.

Believe the word.
I will unlock my door...
And pass the cemetery gates.

Sometimes when I’m alone,
I wonder aloud,
If you’re watching over me
Some place far abound.
I must reverse my life
I can’t live in the past.
Then set my soul free,
Belong to me at last.

Through all those complex years
I thought I was alone.
I didn’t care to look around
And make this world my own...
And when she died
I should’ve cried and spared myself some pain.
You left me incomplete,
All alone as the memories still remain.

The way we were,
The chance to save my soul...
And my concern is now in vain.
Believe the word,
I will unlock my door...
And pass the cemetery... gates

(instrumental)

The way we were,
The chance to save my soul...
And my concern is now in vain.
Believe the word,
I will unlock my door...
And pass the cemetery...

Gates!

Gates!

Gates!

Do you remember...?

Remember the smell of a brand new blank audio-tape? Fresh from the packaging, it seemed to have a fruity scent. Does anyone ever think of these things anymore?

Anyone remember sitting by the radio with your finger hovering over the record button waiting for a certain song to come on? Remember "College Radio" and the new and different musical styles it brought to your attention?

Remember the buzz you got when you heard you favorite "Im the only one who knows about them" band was coming to play some dive? Remember when you could actually get to know the band before the show, because they were usually sitting at the bar?

Remember the rush before your first gig as a musician? No matter how bad you were, your friends came out to support you - mainly because you put them on the list and got them in for free.

Remember how the first time you heard a serious crunchy guitar, you wanted to move... it reached down inside you and made you move.

Maybe you discovered the feeling that drives a pit, or maybe you just found that deep anger that fuels revolution.

Remember that guy whose cousin played in that band that got signed and was now huge? What ever happened to that guy, and that band for that matter?

Remember your first concert? The first one you went to willingly, in a stadium or arena? Thousands of sweaty, stinky people all screaming in unison?

Remember your first show? Closer than you ever thought to your heros? With maybe a hundred people or so all deep into the music.

Remember when your friend's brother (who was in a bad with the guy whose cousin got signed) turned you on to something so different it nearly hurt?

For me, it was the first time I heard "Cemetary Gates" by Pantera. I was a Quiet Riot/Skid Row/Slayer kinda guy, and had not yet heard of Pantera - and at first I thought how lame... buncha pretty guitars and stuff - then the crunch hit. And the lyrics sank in.. To this day I can still quote gospel and verse from the book of "Cowboys from Hell." Can probably still hit the double-bass kicks.

Growing up in NYC, on the border of Queens/Nassau provided me with unusual opportunitys to get in with some of the bands that to this day, still command respect. I've lost some friends along the way, some have vanished - others have passed. But those guys will always be friends, brothers.

There was always a project - always a plan. Write a few dozen lyrics - turn them into songs - play loud. Simple.

None of my bands were all that high-tech, we were pretty simple. Although, when a metal band employs a horn section and back up singers - for a grand total of 28 people on stage at once, I don't know how simple that is.

Unfortunately, as cool as it all was - all good things must... and must they did. The scene turned to mold and mildew. Clubs closed, one turned into a church. Which is ironic in its own right. Scenes came and went. Concepts too.

To all those who have ever played The Spiral, The Pyramid, Spit/Raw, Nostradamus, Detour, Industry, Coney Island High, or any of the myriad clubs around NYC back in the day including that one in Forest Hills that had a pool and the Raven (the converted warehouse space owned by some band), or even a small open mic night in a coffeehouse on Long Island: Good show.

No one has come close to anything like the scene was back in the day. Now load out, and get back to your day jobs.

PostScript: I was remiss in forgetting 2 places that meant so very much to me, not much more than holes-in-the-wall, but important none the less. The Right Track Inn, and Hammerhedz/Februarys, or as we call it - HammerFebz.

roanoke.com - Business Stories -Wish list

Ive been running this one in my head since it published on Saturday... you should be thankful I waited to post about it till now, the previous ones would have been angry and flame-worthy.

But here goes something...

Whose wish list is this? No public polls were done, no mention of anyone personally mentioning they would like to see "_____" come to Roanoke. I have my own wish list, but no one asked me about it.

This seems more like reasons NOT to open a business here, rather than reasons businesses should open here. And for the median household income in the Roanoke MSA to be $39,000 in 1999 - well, can we not get more recent figures than that? The Roanokegov.com website has the figures listed at Household Median for 1999 at $39,288 and the Family Median at $48,206 for the same period. And which MSA includes the Franklin County side of the Lake? Because that alone should cause the numbers to skew higher, and Roanoke recieves a large share of the Lake traffic coming into town for whatever they come into town for.

The 2003 adjusted per capita income level is $32, 107, with a lower cost of living than most of Virginia (with the exception of Lynchburg). Believe me, companies take C-O-L into account when determining wether to open a location.

So even if you look at the overall $32,000 as 100%, and the C-O-L comes in at 92.8% (bad math, but the point is made the same with good math) that still leaves 7.2% of the income as "free" in the sense that it is gravy. It can be saved, spent, or invested. And you might not personally see it, but with careful budgeting - you do actually have money to burn at the end of the month. That money to burn is the biggest lure any business can have.

If you spend 10% of your monthy salary on food - and 7% of that goes to groceries, then that leaves 3% open for dining options like eating out, take out, and the like. Might not seem like much, but it makes a huge difference when you have local businesses competing with national franchises for your dining dollar.

But examine the companies on the alleged "wish list": Nordstrom, Chili's, The Melting Pot, Panera Bread, Kohl's, Crate & Barrel, & Chico's. These are not businesses one would visit on a regular basis. With the exception of Kohl's, which is just another version of Target/Walmart, none of the above listed are going to consume a chunk of your retail dollar.

Nordstrom is a novelty, with clothes more expensive, but quality no different than you can get in existing stores here in Roanoke. And style-wise - no different either. Drop the grand illusion that its some sort of shopping mecca, its another department store.

Chili's would be a repeat of the franchise places we allready have, with a slightly different menu. Panera bread is being trumped by the Atlanta Bread Co. which is opening in the spring/summer of 06 over by the new Finks on 419. We will not need Panera, considering theres On the Rise, Wildflour, Heartland bread, and others in the area that are pre-existing and well recieved.

And as for the Melting Pot, I find it hard to believe that a fondue place can really exist as a single-concept restaurant. I will have to defer to Chef K on this one, but I can see maybe going once or twice in a lifetime to a Fondue Restaurant, but Im not that into the 70's or Fondue.

What Roanoke needs can be done locally, with little effort really. There is a company called Eatzi's, which is essentially a prepared gourmet food supermarket. From fresh baked goods to wines to entrees and sides - all under one roof and prepared by actual chefs daily. They opened one in NY close to my home, and it was nice enough - but in a market saturated with ready-to-go meal options, it had a hard time catching on. It was also in a less-than-desireable location traffic and parking-wise.

From what I understand, even though they closed the one in NY, the company itself is still thriving in other locations. That would be a interesting addition to Roanoke, something you could return to time and time again, wether for a whole meal - or just a loaf of bread and a bottle of wine. Oh, and dessert.

As for the development at Tanglewood and Valley View - there are no straight stories. Everyone I ask has a different version, and if you think back to last year - the fall I believe is when the rumor of Kohl's coming to Tanglewood began to surface. Now the rumor is TJ Maxx is moving down to the Brendle's end of Tanglewood to take over that end, merging itself onto just one floor. 6 months ago it was Kroger that was alleged to be taking over the former Brendle's and moving the entire store down to the other end of the mall. And with all this speculation about Valley View and Tanglewood - what about Crossroads and Towers - still plenty of land to work with, as well as the Williamson Road corridor. Something food-oriented, be it supermarket or similar will need to locate itself near downtown to serve the incoming familys who will be living there by years end.

Personally I have one wish to see here - a supermarket known as Pathmark. A company both my wife and I worked for at one time, where the current CEO is a woman who started as a Part-time bookkeeper. Not unlike Food Lion in some regards - but more midscale between Food Lion and Kroger. Possibly closer to Ukrop's, but that remains to be seen. Part of me would like an A&P (now known as Waldbaums) to return to the Roanoke area.

But thats the short list, I will wait before going into detail.

New York Pizza Shipped Anywhere in the US, traditional pizza, new york style, make your own pizza

Found this today on the internets. Sounds like a good idea and the prices are reasonable. I don't know about the shipping prices though - haven't ordered a pizza yet. Probably will order bagels though when they launch that.

On a side note here, a word about pizza in Roanoke.

I've had NY Pizza out in Vinton, and it's... acceptable. But it is not NY Pizza. As far as Ive seen there is only one place that serves true (to the best of their ability) NY Pizza in Roanoke.

Frank's at Hunting Hills. Hands down the BEST pizza in Roanoke. Now if only they will start making Zeppoli's, life would be perfect.

But Goodfella'z, Papa Johns, Domino's, theyre all awful. Pizza Hut is acceptable as long as you do not confuse it for actual Pizza. Billy and Chico's looks good - but I have not had a chance to try it yet.

Fork in the Alley makes a great wood-fired oven pie. But here's a minor complaint that goes along with the pizza places... Unless its a meatball, chicken cutlet, veal cutlet, or similar Hero, its not supposed to be hot. I've had this problem a few times now, and each time I have had to bite the bullet and eat a hot italian cold cut sub. Next time Im going to say something ahead of time, and make sure that no one actually thinks its acceptable to serve a hot hero with lettuce and tomato.

Forgotten Roanoke's Store

Well you all want some high-end stores here in Roanoke, according to the Times.

Heres one for you, my store. Not exactly filled with stuff, but its nice enough - clean and well lit. The staff never hassles you, and we accept nearly all forms of payment - gladly at that.

If you feel so inclined, head on over to the shop and poke around. Most of the shirts have designs both front and back, and every bit of profit we make goes back into the website.

More news on that to come...

Twas the night of Christmas Eve....

No, Im not that good at rhyming.

Lets just tell the story, shall we?

I was this kid, see. I lived for Christmas. I even enjoyed the ritual deployment of the Nativity set, the careful placement of the various animals. We also, for unknown reasons, had a bunny in the manger. A little plastic bunny. Everyone's got a right I guess...

My biggest fear at Christmas was watching The original Sesame Street Christmas (Sans Elmo) with Big Bird waiting on the roof for Santa. To this day I still get a chill when I think of the normally harmess bird, with the fangs of ice hanging off the end of his beak... well - thats how they looked to me. Back in the days of analog, broadcast television.

Oh - and of course, the opening sequence of the various Sesame Street Muppets ice skating. That was kinda scary too, but in a different way. Did not know they had legs. My bad.

So anyway, Christmas Eve was the night of nights. When the family would schlep to our house, and eat - drink - make merry, play cards, Trivial Pursuit - whatever till the wee hours of the morning.

My bedroom was just above the dining room, so as I got older and spent more time up there - I grew accustomed to the sounds coming from the room below as I fell asleep on Christmas Eve.

Well, before that time, my biggest luxury at Christmas was sleeping on the pull-out sofa in the den. It kept me on the same floor as the entire party, just removed enough that I could hear them as a murmur. It kept me in direct eyeshot of the tree, and the empty space below. Talk about hard to sleep, but yet sleep I did and always would wake up at 5-6am to find that somehow, defying all youthful logic - the empty space was no more.

How can you describe the first gleaming visions of a tree lit in full splendor, darkness still beyond the windows and presents of all sizes underneath? I don't think you can, unless you go deep inside yourself and relive the moment.

Now in the den/spare bedroom there were two windows. One which looked over the driveway, and a 2nd which looked out to the garage and backyard. Laying on the sofa, my head would be both in perfect view to look out the crack in the door and see the glow of the tree, and look out the window over the driveway. Not much to see there, just a wall on the neighbors house. And the shadow of our roofline.

Understand, this was NY - which meant lights cast shadows in places there should be none. The shadow of a houses roof was not all that uncommon.

I know at some point I began to get drowsy, and possibly nodded off to the sounds of a game of 31 (like blackjack, but not. and played for 75 cents total). And as my eyes would fitfully open and close, alternating views between the glow of the tree and the light in the window, I can remember seeing fleeting shadows on the roof. Im not talking about full sleigh and team shadows, just quick shadows. And the sudden realization that everything in the house had become still in less than a moment.

No noise, no cards shuffling, none of my aunts playful accusations of cheating. Not even my dog moving. Just those memorys of a shadow on the roofline and a dim red glow showing in a place where even with a ladder, no one would attempt to create an illusion. To this day I can still picture the glow, even though the shadows have faded from my memory.

There was nothing much special about that Christmas Morning, I cannot tell you what gifts I recieved. But that instant moment when the world was silent, and mystery stepped in has been enough to keep me going all these years. I will not say if Santa is real, but to me - he is real enough. The spirit of what Santa stands for resides in all of us, year round. We just tend to ignore the small red glow.

Its the same light in the darkness that is talked about in religion. And all of them have the same idea, so I cannot say it is specific to any one.

"...And there to that light
That young Child showed to me
All the things that he dreamt
All the things that might be
How for everything given
That something was gained
Strike one match in the dark
And all the world's not the same

And then I asked that Child
Why this night has a star
And he said, "So we'd know
That we could see that far"

Roanoke has a star too.. ever wonder why? Perhaps something beyond the commercial reasons? Something larger than Roanoke? It's hard to think otherwise sometimes. This town is special, for whatever reasons.

Well, Im not about to launch into a homily on the virtues of Roanoke, but you get the general idea.

If Santa ever decided to move south, Im sure this would be his retirement choice. Or maybe he is allready here, among us.

Merry Christmas... more to come later in the day.

And when you wake in the morning...

There will be a gift here for you, the story of Christmas I have promised you.

Belief, suspense, mystery, and a 10 year old kid sleeping on the pull out sofa.

It doesnt end in a white christmas, theres no great revelation. Just belief.

Enduring belief.

A simple message..

May it be merry, warm, and enduring.

Merry Christmas. 

With 12 hours and 35 minutes to go...

Im off to work.. time to go make some spirits bright and whatnot.

See you all when I get back.

I'll be back with 4 hours to go..

/excited? me? noooo

roanoke.com - May the resounding joy of Christmas ring in Roanoke

roanoke.com - Commentary Stories -May the resounding joy of Christmas ring in Roanoke

Kudos to Mayor Harris on his excellent research, now however begs the question - Why do we not have this in Roanoke now?

I could go for a nice parade, during the day - when its not sub-zero with the wind chill like it was at Dickens.

Thats my biggest beef with Dickens, there needs to be some sort of Daytime activity on a Saturday to compliment the Friday Night stuff.

I usually dont get out of work until 8, which means I would not get downtown till 8:30 - and half the fun is over by then.

Let's explore Saturday as a 2nd day for Dickens. Plus, think of the added bonus to downtown merchants for having all-day traffic, rather than limited hours night traffic.

Plus the bonus of added sun!

News from The Roanoke Times -Giving away a small fortune

News from The Roanoke Times -Giving away a small fortune

Welcome to Christmas

Inside every one of us who acts like Mr. Hurt, every one of us who takes a moment to think, every one of us who shares something of themselves, there lies Christmas.

Attention Citizens...

Since I am assuming most of you are asleep at this point, I'll leave this as a reminder for when you wake in the morning.

23 Hours 30 minutes till Christmas!

Me, excited? Nahhh...


/santasantasantasanta

Remember, I owe you folks the story of why Santa will always be real.

Not to mention unusual red lights in places there should be no lights.

Ho, Ho, here we go.....


23 hours 28 minutes....

Im forgetting something....

Oh right, podcast. Umm.. tomorrow. besides - I think Christmas Eve is much more appropriate for listening to stories.

cookie update: batch 1 done, batch 2,3,4 tomorrow.

Thank you, but not interested.

I was going to post something about the Real Estate blogs featured in the Roanoke Times business section today. But in the interests of fairness, Im just going to let you go read it yourself.

Roanoke Real Estate Blog


I will not comment on it, save to say that I think for a writeup on Roanoke itself, it could have been a lot better. This would not sell me on Roanoke.

And if a Real Estate agent can't sell you on something, then there is something wrong.

Thankfully, I live here too. So I know theres alot more to Roanoke than this little posting says.

Anyway, Im making cookies - spritz cookies. No you can't have any. Theyre for work.

I'll be back and forth all morning.

Allright, what the heck... (commentary on the lack of digital roanoke)

You know, Im hunting around the internets as I am wont to do at night, and just checking out some of the local type of stuff. Well, I would be anyway if it were not for the fact that so many companies around here have no online presence.

Im looking directly at you Bob-FM. Your a radio station. You take requests. Where the h-e-double hockeysticks is your website???

Good Ol' Chef K has pointed out to me that Roanoke Fruit and Produce Co. does not have a website either. Following the example of half the restaurants in Roanoke apparently.

Need I remind the good business people of Roanoke that this is the 21st century, when AJAX is no longer just something to clean with?

It could be thats why the Olive Garden and Applebees are so popular - you can look at the menu at home, so you know what you want before you get there.

But what I want to know is, for the Digital City Award winning hometown that it is, where are all the websites?

You would think that this city would be an easy sell, but lack of reliable information online about the current businesses and services available. Roanokeonline.com is a pretty handy resource, but some of the links are more than just a tad outdated. And some of the listings are as well.

It's "On the Market" page is chock full of information, yet not one link to a single site for any market businesses. Then again, when you are still listing the Great 611 Grill, and 309 First Street, your a little past expiration. And need I mention that the Wicked Wick shop listed is no longer there - replaced by Roanoke Valley Printworks. W-W has moved out to Vinton, under the name Mystic Moods, who also used to have a website, but no longer does.

So again, I ask - where have all the websites gone?

Why must Roanoke be dominated by the Times, the City, the TV stations, and the Airport. Because thats what you find when you Google Roanoke. Most people never make it past the first page of a search, unless they have a pretty good idea what they are looking for.

Well, I've been told yet again that I am the unofficial salesman for Roanoke, which is sad really. I should think the town can sell itself, but without a decent digital footprint, maybe it can't.

I welcome all those looking for Roanoke, and would be more than happy to answer any questions you might have. As long as you can ignore the NY accent anyway.

LaCie - Big Disk Hard Drive

LaCie - Big Disk Hard Drive - USB 2.0

Because you care enough. Because you like me. Because you love me. Because your a good person. Because the sight of me drooling is too pathetic to take.Its one Terabyte. 1GB (gigabyte) = 1,000,000,000 (1 billion) bytes. 1TB (terabyte) = 1000GB.


Sweet Dear God..

1 Terabyte

Editorials from The Roanoke Times -Roanoke's schizophrenic council

Editorials from The Roanoke Times -Roanoke's schizophrenic council: "Then Mr. Hyde put in an appearance at the council meeting.

On a 6-1 vote, its members said mob rule sometimes is preferable to representative democracy. Roanoke will ask the General Assembly for permission to hold advisory referendums if 5,000 registered voters sign a petition or if a council majority wants political cover on a tough decision.

Only Brenda McDaniel voted against the proposal because she has the good sense to think elected officials should do their jobs. It is too bad she is not running for re-election in May."

Im sorry, but RoanokeTimes - enough allready. You are displaying your distate for the public far too readily these days.

I kindly ask you to shut your mouth on such things. Very kindly.

Dickens of a Christmas

Allright, so you want to know how it was. If you werent there, you should have been, and probably will be next year.

The difference from last years DoaC to this years was exponential. The crowds grew, the vendors grew. The event itself was the same as years past, but larger somehow. First thing that struck as really different - they moved the living nativity to Campbell and the Market building.

By the by - I forgot the camera at home both days.

Aint I smert?

Well, lack of photos aside, it was wonderful. Probably could have been better had the weather co-operated at least once. But no, it had to be cold, colder, and cold all three nights. Due to the Colder, we missed night 2, and due to my own cold as well. Aside from that, we were there opening and closing.

I remember last year, closing night was very sparse - nice but not well attended. This year was the polar opposite. Very well attended, most of the vendors had come back for that last night (and were making a killing).

I was slightly disappointed by the lack of food vendors, however - the baked goods vendors made up for it to a point. There is nothing like buying something warm on a cold night. And other than the cider, hot chocolate (Confeddi's spiced hot chocolate was wonderful), and popcorn - there was no warm food being sold. That will change next year Im sure.

And Chef K knows something about that. What it is, he will not say. He's predicting a busy year foodwise in Roanoke. I will be coming out with my own predictions next week at some point, maybe I'll just include them in the podcast.

Which is going to have to wait till next week, although I do plan an audiopost at some point before Christmas eve.

Oh, and by the by - Happy Solstice all you darkness hating people out there. You get your light back.

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas..

well, duh.

Sorry to say, in my NOAA research it's looking more like a wet Christmas than a white Christmas, although we can still hold out hope. And if we believe, deep down in our very core, then anything is possible.

Just thought I would pass that on...

Dickens review still pending..

I need verification:

From my inbox: A e-mail from AOL, which invites me to take my free AIM username over to AOL for FREE (at least the first 50 days are). It included this line, which makes me remember why I left AOL in the first place.

With the AOL® service, you not only get the best safety and security features, but online shopping is da bomb! With AOL, you can shop all day long and still have energy to go out and boogie down!

Umm, does anyone even talk like that anymore? Thanks for being totally irrelevant AOL.

Private eyes *clap clap* are watching you *clap clap*

If I may be so bold as to come forth with semi-classified information and break down the upstream wall between myself, and you - gentle reader.

I, like just about nearly every other webmaster on the face of the Earth , use hit-tracking programs to monitor the popularity of the website, or in this case, the blog. Forgotten-Roanoke.com does pretty well for something which is only updated twice a month, but the blog is far more widely read than one might imagine. Even I am constantly amazed at who reads, and why.

It's called a referrer. If you google Roanoke News, you see a link to a post I made. Its the bottom one, #10 for those counting.
not too shabby.

Of course you-know-who with the dead tree edition is #1. Well if you search Roanoke News, and click on the link to the post I made - it shows as a referrer. I can see what you searched for, and where I place. Sometimes I have to follow the search myself to see why I came up. Sometimes I can tell when you have clicked through from an e-mail. Recent example, a Comcast customer recieved a link to the blog in their mail. Thank you for following it, and thanks to the person who decided it was worth sending, for whatever reason.

Sometimes the people doing the searches are more interesting than the search. Example: A direct hit from Microsoft up in Redmond, from a Google search for "Dickens of a Christmas Roanoke." A standard search, but MS employees using Google? Smacks of irony if you ask me.

Then there are the IP#'s that make you nervous. I was fully expecting to be called to testify when I recieved a few hits from the Sargent At Arms for the US Senate. And the .mil hits are always fun. Which is how I know someones looking homeward from Iraq.

The US Office of Personnel Management and the PBGC are 2 of the more interesting .gov hits I recieve, and as I said - I know your out there, drop a line.

Then there are your standard Cox, Adelphia, Verizon, and whozeewhatsis hits. All in all, my blog is steadily gaining readership. And I have you kind readers to thank for it. If you did not like what you see here regularly, you would not come back as often as you do. I only hope that in the coming year I can keep you coming back. Bring a friend with you, I always try to be conversational.

But however you wind up here, drop a line. It struck me as funny this weekend during which I made almost no posts, no updates - not even a podcast, and yet I recieved more comments than I usually do in a heavy week of working.

There is no growth for a business without getting to know your customer. And I am constantly searching out new technologies and opportunities for you, my customers. The Roanoke Marketplace for example, is there for you. A new, free resource. I can modify certain features of it, add and delete things as demand calls for it. I just need to know what you would like. Customer Feedback.

There is also the WikiRoanoke where you the consumer have an opportunity to add your voice, your ideas to the entire experience that is life in Roanoke. Digitalized for your enjoyment. And there are more in the works.

I will have a posting about Dickens of a Christmas later today, with any luck. I still have some work to do around here, but the Forgotten Tree is up, decorated, and lit. The ornaments from the kids over at Roanoke Catholic look great on it, as do the select few I have garnered from the Center in the Square MuseumShop. And as we approach the zero hour of Midnight Christmas Eve, I hope you all are deeply mired in the spirit of the season. The single common thread all the "holidays" have, peace on earth, and goodwill to man. Now stop that PC think and realize that by man it is generally understood to mean human. Not dude.

Anyway, be back later.

Hey kids, Rock and Roll!

Yep, still here. Haven't gone anywhere yet, just felt like taking some time off and enjoying the thrill of decorating the tree and other Christmas fare.

Regular blogging resumes today.

There will be a slight pause

Slight pause in blogging and podcasting this weekend, as we attempt to end the holiday madness and get things done.

Big concept: Get Things Done.

Personally, if I get 3/4ths the things done I will be thrilled.

So the podcast is delayed, the blogging is delayed, the website is delayed..

But don't worry, there is no strike going on here. There will be a podcast by Tuesday, postings to the blog will be intermittent this weekend, and the website will have something new next week.

Anyway - time to swing into action.

*Roanoke News Alert*

*Roanoke News Alert*

Civility reigns still.

"Roanoke Public Library branches on Williamson Road and the
Main Branch in downtown Roanoke remain open today. All other Roanoke
Public Library branches are closed due to inclement weather."

Nice to know, no matter how bad the weather, how dark the days - the library remains open for those who seek solace within.

Im being very nice here..

*Roanoke News Alert*

Plows spotted! Well, a plow spotted.  

*Roanoke News Alert*

*Roanoke News Alert*

It's downright ugly out there - with sleet falling like sand. I just watched a bus fishtail ever so slightly as it pulled out of Tanglewood. The sidewalks look to have about a full inch of icy crap on them, and the situation is not improving any.

I've been through ice storms before - and I know it's no picnic being out in one, even less so when you absolutely have to be out in one. Electric Rd still shows no signs of any type of plowing or salt, even the limited traffic is no longer having an impact on the conditions of the road. I will venture out in a little while to check the conditions and take some photos.

Part of me wonders if we all turned up our heat and opened our windows, would it make a difference? But then again, these are the thoughts that keep me up at night.

*Roanoke News Alert*

*Roanoke News Alert*

The NOAA is now focusing in on a total of 1+ inches of frozen precipitation (snow, sleet, ice) by storms end. Freezing Rain set to invade around noon, with heavy downpours at the onset.

This is no joke here people. Take all precautions you can.. and buckle in, this is ugly.

*Roanoke News Alert*

doesnt look like much... yet. But where the rubber meets the road, things are slick. Very slick.  

*Roanoke News Alert*

*Roanoke News Alert* audiocast #1

*Roanoke News Alert*

**Roanoke News Alert**

sleet is falling, heavily at that. mixed with light fluffy snowflakes. I am about to venture out into the wilds to see how ugly it really is out there.

Wish me luck.

testing

*Roanoke News Alert*

This is a test of the Roanoke News Alert system. Had this been an actual alert, you probably wouldn't notice.

This system will be activated between the hours of 9am and 9pm for the entire Roanoke area due to the Ice Storm predicted.

We will be bringing you live updates from the corner of 419 and 220, the NOAA reports, and anywhere we are unlucky enough to travel today.

Earliest reports indicate 419 is "iffy" in terms of clear roads.

Proceed with caution, due dilligence, and a brain in your head.

This has been a test of the *Roanoke News Alert* system.

Weather Hazards for Roanoke, VA

Ice storm. Thats a hazard?

well, I would have never guessed.

face it folks - obviously this is not going to be a banner winter. We are off to a bad start as it is. Everyone stay somewhere safe, and don't leave it.

I'll have my camera close by... cell phone too, provided it works. So check back for audio updates through out the day.


On the ground....

In the sky.....

Under the covers...

We cover Roanoke from all angles.. just for you.

Radio & Text Free Roanoke(found) will take to the broadband waves around 9am tomorrow.

Baby, its cold outside.

I mean really cold, and damp - or at least clammy. One or the other.

We are on the verge of another storm with identity issues. Should I be snow? Rain? Ice? I just cant decide...

Stupid storm.

Did I mention Im getting old? There was a time when I wore the same basic outfit all year round. Jeans & a t-shirt. In the dead of a NY summer, or the teeth of a NY winter, same basic outfit - just added a jacket. Now I actually went out and bought a thermal shirt. Long sleeve. Makes me feel ancient. My hands get cold easily. This from the guy who used to spend days inside the walk-in freezer at the deli. I live for winter, or at least I used to. Nowadays it's Fall Im pining for. At least then there is till some warmth to the day.

Once the holidays are overwith, Im turing this blog back to the focus on Roanoke's history. I realize I have gotten a bit off topic lately, and apologize for that. But there are alot of sites in the works, including the "Lone Oak" and a mansion or two that I am just seeking out a bit more information on before I post on them.

If anyone has any pictures of Lone Oak before it was demolished in 1963, I would much appreciate it.

More later...

Editorials from The Roanoke Times -Reject referendums for Roanoke

And what the Times editorial fails to mention is that most of Roanoke's elected officials DO NOT listen or represent the people justly, which is why some of the people are calling for referendums.

A full on "Tear it down or rebuild it" vote on Victory Stadium where every citizen could cast a vote would leave no margin of doubt what the will of the people would be.

The elected in Roanoke allready have excuses for failing to lead the city, they call it politics.

But as the Times never, e'er reports politics and has no idea what they are, Im sure they don't see it here either.

Either do the referendum vote, or make EVERY position within the higher eschelon of the city government open for vote every 2 years.

Public hearings are just a formality to keep the idea of personal involvement alive. And once again, I know nothing of Darlene Burcham, but I do not see the point in having a city manager when you allready have a mayor and vice mayor.

Even NYC, with x-times the population of Roanoke does not have a city manager.

But regardless, in order to turn the corner on Roanoke and take it to the next level, the government needs to become more representative of the people - and if that means adding a few members to the city council, allowing a referendum vote on the larger issues, or even changing the times for the city council meetings so they are more aligned with peoples schedules, or holding them at alternate sites that rotate, then so be it.

I also think the Roanoke City gov't needs to get with the County and put the nonsense of the past behind them. If the County is unwilling to cooperate, thats their problem. But maybe they need a gentle reminder that without the city, theres not much of a reason to be in the county.

Do not let the Times fool you, their understanding is limited in situations like this. The Times has a very limited view of the world, although you would expect the opposite.

Neither here nor there, I think the whole thing comes down to good governing. If the people feel they are being duly represented, then fine - if not.. well...


Vote or Die (as it was once said by a Mr. P. Diddy)

The Rebirth of Storytelling

As I close in on 500 posts, I give pause to reflect from time to time on the history of this blog, and blogs in general. Back in 1984, Jean Shepherd (of A Christmas Story fame, although minimal compared to his other works) wrote a piece for NY Newsday (just Newsday back then) on "The Death of Storytelling." You can read the article here.

Now I have been a long time Shep fan, although I was not old enough to listen to him back in the day. At 2 years old, your not listening to much at 11pm. One of the longest radio careers in history, spanning 23 years on one station alone, Shep had a following. Well, more of a cult really. I stumbled upon him in my teen years, when I was known to keep vampiric hours. I had no idea this was the same man who made A Christmas Story.

I was not a fan of the movie when I first saw it in the movie theatre with my grandmother. I was quite plain about it too, my review was "I didn't like it."

Actually, upon reflection, I didn't get it would have been more accurate. But regardless, Shep is a genius in many ways you wont understand unless you have listened. And you can, here.

I highly encourage it as a matter of fact. Each broadcast is available for listening or download - think of them as early podcasts. Which is probably what would piss Ol' Shep off the most.

Anyway, he wrote about The Death of Storytelling. Related to our attention spans, TV, the changing idea of whats important and whats not, and our ability to follow a narritive.

Well, I think it might be changing.

Blogs are reaching a level of popularity rivaled only by early radio personalities. For many of us, we look to blogs for the in depth reporting, human angle, and inside information we cannot get from the daily newspaper. We look to blogs for the stories of life, time, and everything else that we cannot get from the newspaper either.

I had my own narritive, "BST", a series of entries recalling my tryst with a tumor. Readership was good while it ran, with many of the people reading coming back for more.

Many of the blogs I read deal with everyday stuff, through multiple lenses. And thats what makes them so interesting, the human filter. No one ever sees things the way you do. TV has somewhat lessened that through the years, but tv is suffering decreased viewership in favor of internet viewing. NBC recently announced that its entire back catalog of TV shows will be available for download and purchase for the iPod.

That, to me, signals a turn from the TV. When a media company has to go back and sell everything they own, it makes me wonder about the current profitability of the company.

I think the charge on this is being led by the burgeoning internet storytellers. Be they news related, personal, or general; people are possibly reading more. I say possibly because there has been no true study on this. But as my fellow bloggers can attest to, we are recieving attention. Multiple visits from the same IPs. People are rediscovering the enjoyment of hearing a story.

Think of it, as children - we all loved to be read to at night, we all loved to hear storys told of things we have never seen or places we have never been. Thats what a blog is, because no matter even if you live with the blogger, you still don't know totally whats going on in his/her mind. How they view the same exact situation out the window that you can see.

Thats where Shep's genius lie. The ability to connect with you, the listener, at the outset by framing the story in something we have all experienced. Then, slowly and deliberately, he builds it until you are on the edge, and finally - delivering the punch line. And returning to a common emotion that we can all identify with, and we do. If even for a moment we are there, with Shep, waiting for the hammer to drop and the Ol' Man to find out the truth, only to glance past and skate to freedom.

You live the highs and lows in a good story, and with any luck, the blogs you read tell a good story.

With any luck, Im telling a good story. And with any luck, your enjoying what you read.

Although I do urge you to reach out and discover some Jean Shepherd of your own, beyond ACS. There is more to the man than Fra-geel-ay(Oh, must be Italian) and the major award.

To give you an idea of the storytellers I read, go check out Lileks.com whose daily Bleats provide me with a few minutes of enjoyment, and a days worth of thinking.

Thank you for being literate, and for choosing to be so.

Im not quite sure how to put this....

I've noticed while going over my logs for the blog that I have been getting hits out of Iraq. Without divulging anything, I just want to say Hoo-RAH!


Feel free to print this out and slap it on the ordinance, from Roanoke with love.

(btw - this is not flamewar fodder, so forget it. try it and you'll taste the bitter end of my mouse pointer)