Betrothal

Robert and Linda Kenney of Cutchogue, Long Island

Are pleased to announce

the engagement of their daughter

Megan Lin Kenney ~ to ~ Jason Christopher Pieroni

A wedding celebration is planned for August 27th

at the Pellegrini Vineyards in Cutchogue

More details to follow

Civic Pride

Honda '05 Civic Coupe EX

How things can sometimes go ~

My wife and I were were driving through Brewster on our way to Stew Leonard's in Danbury, when all of a sudden our transmission went completely kerflooey. It was as though in one nano second we had lost every drop of transmission fluid. As traffic backed up behind us and horns started blaring, I saw that we were stopped directly beside Brewster Honda. By moving the shift lever back and forth, I was able to coax the car into its service area.

Their mechanics were able to quickly determine that our 1992 Honda had indeed sustained an irreversible transmission failure. But to make matters worse, replacement transmissions for our old car are no longer factory available. To locate a compatible version would take time and if found, it would be costly to install.

Intact and operational, the trade-in value of my well cared for 13 year old car would have been, at most, about $1500. Repairing it (if possible) would cost an unspecified number of dollars and the lay-up time would cause us substantial rental car expense. Clearly, it was time to say a tender ciao to our beloved vehicle. So, into the show room we ambled and lickety-split we purchased the car you see in the photo above. (Brewster Honda had it ready for us by the next morning)

Undaunted, we rented a car from a local agency and continued on our shopping trip to Danbury. Everything we had needed to do at Honda took less than an hour and not a lot of cerebration was necessary to make the decision. It was an easy and well-timed no-brainer.

Erminia Porco

Reprinted from The Journal News
January 25, 2005

PORCO, ERMINIA ANNUNZIATA - Erminia Annunziata Porco, age 97, died January 23, 2005. Born on March 25, 1907 to Teresa and John Bastone in Carolei, Italy. In 1939 she married John Porco, who predeceased her in 1962. Erminia lived in West Harrison since 1971. She has been a member of St. Anthony of Padua Church for 33 years. She worked in the clothing industry for a number of years.

Mrs. Porco is survived by two children: Evelyn Gabriele of West Harrison and Teresa Lovisek of Longwood, Florida. Three grandchildren: Elaine Connery, Teri Guild and Paul Gabriele. Four great-grandchildren: Thomas Connery, Emily Connery, Allison Guild and Kaitlyn Guild. She was predeceased by six brothers: Frank Bastone, Rev. John Bastone, Joseph Bastone, Rev. Mario Bastone, Salvatore and William Bastone. Erminia also had two sisters who predeceased her: Mary DeRose and Louisa "Jean" Reda of Demarest, New Jersey who died on the same day as Erminia.

Reposing at McMahon, Lyon & Hartnett Funeral Home on Wednesday 2-4 and 7-9 pm. The Funeral Mass will be held, Thursday at 10 am, at St. Anthony of Padua Church. Entombment will be at the Ferncliff Mausoleum.

MCMAHON, LYON, HARTNETT FUNERAL HOME, INC.
491 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY (914) 949-7777

In nomine patris ~

to William Shakespeare

"we are everlastingly grateful to ye"

New York Times

Paris, January 19, 2005

From a News Report by Elaine Sciolino

This gesture to the mothers of France seemed to shake the sacred pillar of patriarchy. New Year’s Day quietly ushered in a change in France’s law on last names. It abolished the centuries-old obligation that parents give the patronymic, or name of the father, to their children. That means that a couple will now be able to give its newborn baby either the mother’s last name, the father’s last name or both names in whatever order the parents choose.

Please forgive my irreverent spin here, the devil made me do it:

While this change in the law will make it easier for mothers to name their out of wedlock children (45% of the children in France) the law could cause widespread consternation and confusion, especially if the practice becomes universal throughout Europe. Conjure for a moment the following scenario: Pope Paul in Rome, bestowing his blessing on the multitudes of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square:

In the name of the Father, or the Mother, or the Mother and Father, or the Father and Mother . . . and the Son and the Holy Ghost . . . Amen

O sole mio ~ ~

from National Review, 1.17.05

"The gondoliers of Venice are to face spot checks on their sobriety after a spate of accidents thought to have been caused by operators plying the city's famous canals while under the influence. New regulations permit the city police to conduct breathalyzer tests on the gondoliers suspected of oaring while intoxicated. This is only the latest of a series of assaults on this ancient and noble profession, beginning six years ago with the introduction of police speed traps, then proceeding last year to a ban on gondoliers forming up in fleets to perform choral serenades. What next for the poor men - an E.U. directive demanding seat belts?"

GPS, anyone?

You too, Abe?

The Intimate World of Abraham Lincoln

by C.A. Tripp

Free Press, 384 pp., $27

Caricature ~ by Thomas Fluharty

This is a book that portrays Lincoln as having had numerous homosexual partners, while being the married father of four children. It is scheduled to be released this month, by Free Press, a division of Simon & Shuster.

In the January 17th issue of the Weekly Standard, Philip Nobile, a professor of history, attacks the author, who is now deceased, the book, which he calls a hoax, and the publishers, for their callous indifference to book publishing standards. Nobile and Dr. Tripp, a sex-researcher, undertook 10 years ago to co-author this book. But because of their strongly held irreconcilable points of view, in a few short years their good willed endeavor came to naught. However, although their literary and personal relationship ended, much of what Nobile wrote during their less contentious periods remains in the book, thus supporting, among other things, his charges of plagiarism. But much of what Tripp wrote, Nobile regards as dishonest, careless, inaccurate and unconscionably biased. He even cites him for inexcusably using quotes from fictional dialogue.

The Log Cabin Republicans, a name chosen by gay members of the GOP, is an advocacy group that is trying to bring Lincoln into its fold. Gore Vidal, in his comments on the cover of the book, states that "the argument is irrefutable." Carl Sandburg in his famous biography, "winked" at Lincoln’s "streak of lavender." And now, according to Philip Nobile, Dr. Tripp has written a book that is calculated to place Lincoln squarely under the homosexual umbrella. As one of his salient arguments, he "claims" to have established that Lincoln entered puberty at the age of 9, and according to Dr. Alfred Kinsey, Tripp's mentor, the earlier a male enters puberty the more opportunities he will have, to make homosexual choices. Tripp’s use of such pseudoscience infuriates Nobile.

It will be interesting, now, to see how the reviews of this book eventually play out. Evidently, for reasons that don’t yet clearly emanate from my cerebrum, it is becoming increasingly important for more and more people to establish their homosexual credentials as quickly and as credibly as possible. Plainly, the homosexual community is enlarging exponentially and one day very soon, heterosexuals will cease to have any biological or social legitimacy, except perhaps in remote places like the Smithsonian Institute. Given where we are, if Lincoln were asked to comment on this subject today, he would surely say, as he often did, "Sexuality is like a harp with a thousand strings."

David and Goliath

David ~ by Michelangelo

On January 9, Palestinians will hold a crucial election. Accordingly, this might be a good time (and place) to outline a brief history of our world's only 3,000 year-old war, the unending conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. What will it take to end it? Does even God know - or care?

Historians declare that the present day Palestinians, earlier known as Philistines, derived from a race of highly civilized people who emigrated eastward from Crete during the 12 century B.C. They settled in a region of the Mediterranean coast, southwest of Judea, in the locality now known as Gaza and the West Bank. They had to conquer the natives who originally populated that territory in order to establish themselves securely, in their new homeland.

Less definitely known is the origin of the Israelites. Some scholars believe they came from the Habiru, an ancient group of tribes of Semitic stock that emigrated westward out of Mesopotamia (Iraq?) during the 2nd millennium B.C. En route, they were captured and held in bondage by the Egyptians. Eventually, according to Genesis, Moses was directed by God to liberate them and guide them across the wilderness and into Canaan. It was during that long journey that Moses received the Ten Commandments from God.

The Philistines and the Israelites, unable to occupy the same land peaceably, resorted to war. In their most memorable early battle, David, the son of a local Shepherd, slew Goliath, a Philistine giant who had issued a challenge to the Israelites to send a champion against him, so that the war between them, could be settled by a single hand to hand combat. And yet, although Goliath was slain, the hostilities between Palestinians and Jews did not abate. It is noteworthy that the Kingdom of Israel, which David later ruled, included Israel, Lebanon, southern Syria and parts of Jordan.

Ariel Sharon, Israel's current David will soon have a vis-a-vis confrontation with Mahmoud Abbas, Palestine's about to be designated Goliath. Will this 2005 rematch initiate peace? Not likely! And if indeed, nothing comes of this latest scheduled effort, perhaps the UN Security Council should pass a veto-free resolution ordering the Palestinians back to Crete and the Israelis back to Iraq. And as an addendum, the disputed territory they now occupy should then be turned into an internationally operated wild refuge park, to simulate the ancient Garden of Eden.

To Osama bin Laden

On New Year's Day, to wish people a year of happiness is the epitome of cynicism and naivete. Like the years we have already lived, this one too will be replete with every possible feeling and experience. But what we should try to do, is enkindle in each other the hope that someday soon, peace will begin to make its presence felt. Toward that end I have addressed an open letter to Osama bin Laden, in whose blood stained hands the prospects for peace may conceivably dwell ~

To Osama bin Laden:

Although yours and so many other hands are stained with blood, you may be the one person in the world today who can bring it peace.

Perhaps you should revisit the Koran with a clearer mind. Nowhere in it does Allah authorize the killing of innocent men, women and children. It must be Satan’s deceptive voice that has been sounding that diabolical message. God rarely uses words to communicate, but His actions always speak with unambiguous and resounding eloquence. The tsunami which has just wrought such undescribable havoc all over the southern rim of Asia must be a sign of His wrath and His diminishing concern about our fate. And if that is so, why is God angry? Why is He turning away from us? Have we broken our covenant with Him? Is He revolted by the heinously unforgivable things we all keep doing to each other?

Is this not then a propitious moment for Islam to stop the Jihad and begin to join the West in a united and compassionate endeavor to bring comfort, healing and vital physical assistance to southern Asia’s devastated people, myriads of whom are Muslims? You have an army of zealous followers. They look to you for direction and inspiration. Would it not please Allah to see them joining their erstwhile foes in rendering the help so desperately needed by so many of our fellow creatures? Would this not also be a proper time for each one of us to cease inflaming and obstructing Iraqis, Afghans, Palestinians, Israelis and so many other people around the world as they strive to alleviate their suffering and emerge from their despair?

Under the dark and fearful clouds of war, everyone is a victim. In the wake of warfare there is only carnage and ruin. But under the broad umbrella of Peace, good will has a chance to bloom and flourish. And when people feel inspired to work together, shoulder to shoulder, God's will is done. And when God is pleased, everything is possible.

Osama, I would like to believe that the Archangel Gabriel, whose name my family proudly bears, is offering you similar counsel.