Monroe County, which is located in upper New York State, must be taking lessons from the City of Rochester, which is located in Monroe County, when it comes to financing. The County is looking at an approximate 20 million dollar shortfall when it comes to balancing the budget this year. So, what are they doing in order to balance the budget? No, they’re not cutting costs, which is what households all over the nation have to do. Instead, they’re looking at robbing Peter to pay Paul.

The plan is to tap into a couple income streams, taking the approximate 20 million dollars from future income, to balance the books. Of course the County Executive’s Office says this is a one time deal, and it’s only to balance the budget this year. But then again, faced with a budget shortfall for next year’s budget, Monroe County leaders are already planning to rob from the school districts, that’s right, taking money away from education, in order to balance the 2008 budget. Again, we hear nothing about cutting back. It’s all about the shell game of shuffling money around.

Just where do politicians get these ideas from? But then again, Governor Spitzer, the Governor of New York, is throwing millions of dollars around all in an attempt to raise his standing in the recent public opinion polls. He’s refusing to collect some 200 million dollars in sales tax receipts from Native Americans, which he included in his 2007 budget. How will the shortfall be made up? Who cares, say most politicians. After all, we can just operate at a deficit and raise taxes. Or, just rob Peter to pay Paul.

I wonder how the finances are in their own homes?

Just my two cents,
Dr. Rus

Just a reminder once again that I’ve started a blog dedicated to movie talk. I just posted a new entry called When Movie Critics Get It Wrong.

You can check out the blog by clicking here!

Don’t forget to bookmark it too. Or better yet, put the link into your RSS reader and it will always update you when I make a new entry.

Thanks for your support!
Dr. Rus

My parents are in town for the Thanksgiving holiday. They arrived Wednesday, we had lots of turkey yesterday, and later tonight, my Dad and I will take in a Rochester Amerks hockey game. But, today meant rolling out of bed early so we could catch some of the early bird specials on this Black Friday. We entered each store with great anticipation of finding the best sale items. Of course the sale flyers were nicely lined up at the front of each store, but for those of us who are real Black Friday shoppers, we already knew what we wanted.

However, little did we know, we would hear a new word associated with toy shopping today.

My Dad, who loves little gadget toys, (I guess that’s where I get it from), wanted to visit a Walgreens where the advertised sale was a $9.99 toy helicopter. Sure, it’s just a little under ten bucks, but hey, it’s a toy and looked kinda cool in the sale flyer. The store opened at 7am, we arrived around 8am.

Now, it’s not what you’re thinking. I’m sure many at this point are thinking — You got there too late! The helicopters will all be gone!

But, that was not the case. All the toy helicopters are stacked in the back of the store in what’s being called quarantine! Yes, you just read that right. The toys are quarantined. I asked one of the tellers what that meant, and she said we’re not really sure, but when we scanned the items last night getting ready for the sale today, the message on the register said; This item unable to be sold in store. A little more detective work on behalf of the manager turned up the reason for the message. The toys are in quarantine.

How did this happen? I’m guessing it’s because they probably come from China, and we all know China has a problem with lead paint these days. In other words, the toy helicopters may have lead paint on them, so just to be safe, Walgreens put them into quarantine.

Very odd don’t you think? I’ve heard of many things happening over Christmas, but never before have I heard of a toy heading into the quarantined section of the store. I wonder how many other toys might fall into the same category this year.

Just my two cents,
Dr. Rus

While interviewing a New York State Assemblyman this morning our conversation turned to the track record of Governor Eliot Spitzer. The Governor has been in the news a lot over the past few weeks as a result of some of his decisions. While we did talk about those issues, it was something else the Assemblyman said that caught my attention. While discussing how the smoke-screen topics are taking away from the real issues needing attention in New York State, the Assemblyman said what we really need is a return to diplomatic manners.

What an incredible phrase, and what an accurate observation of what’s going on in the world of politics. Not only do we need a return to diplomatic manners in New York State, but the same line of thinking goes for the Federal level of government too. It seems the only things many politicians are concerned about these days are their opinion polls, and whether or not the rest of the party will like them. It seems more and more politicians are less concerned about those who elect them, or even what’s best for the country, and are more concerned with making sure they’re safely tucked away in whatever position they may hold in government.

We need a return to diplomatic manners. A time when the political lines aren’t as boldly drawn, and there’s a concern about being civil, getting along, and doing what’s best for the people, instead of just making sure come election time, the votes will be in.

Just my two cents,
Dr. Rus

Once again we’re discovering the squeaking wheels of justice when it comes to stars behind bars.

First it was Paris Hilton, then of course there’s the whole Britney fiasco. Lets not forget the Nicole Richie episode and then last week Lindsey Lohan spent a whopping 84 minutes in jail for her recent antics and run in with the law.

Now, not to be out-done, former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson will spend some time in jail after he was arrested by police when they they observed him driving erratically after leaving a strip club in Scottsdale. Authorities also found bags of cocaine in Tyson’s pocket and in his car. This is not the first time Tyson has had problems with the law. Among other things, he’s served time in prison for a 1992 rape conviction and pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor assault charge in 1999. In this latest case, prosecutors wanted to throw the book at Tyson, arguing for a four year jail term because of his violent criminal past. But, a Judge in Mesa, Arizona must have felt sorry for poor Tyson saying he’s pleased with the strides Tyson is making in straightening out his life. As a result, for the Judge’s sympathy, Tyson will spend just ONE day in jail today!

One day in jail?! Making strides in straightening out his life?! Give me a break! He was found with BAGS of cocaine in his pockets and in his car! Let’s not forget he was leaving a strip joint at the time of his arrest as well. I’d say the Judge has a strange definition of what it means to be straightening your life out. He’s a repeat offender with a violent past. So, just how will Tyson spend his day in jail? He’ll be incarcerated over the next 24 hours in an unoccupied area of Maricopa County’s famed open-air Tent City, where Tyson will wear a black and white prison suit and pink underwear. I guess that’ll teach him!

They say Lady Justice is blind while wearing a blindfold. I’d say the blind one in this case, and in many similar star stories, is the judge.

Just my two cents,
Dr. Rus

As many know, my wife and I are also movie critics. From time to time I posted thoughts on this blog about movies. Well, I’ve decided to start a new blog dedicated to movie thoughts called Frame by Frame Movie Review Blog. It’s a place where I will post quick reviews, and other thoughts on the entertainment industry.

On this blog I recently posted some thoughts about a toy drive for Toys for Tots which ran in conjunction with the opening of the new movie Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium. I just did a follow up post as to how the toy drive went. (By the way, it went very well.)

You can read the update on the Frame by Frame blog site by clicking here! (Frame by Frame Movie Review Blog)

Don’t forget to bookmark the blog and check back often. Or, if you use any kind of reader, such as the Google Reader, you can add all my blog addresses to your subscribed feeds and whenever I post an entry, your reader will automatically download the post.

Thanks for reading!
Dr. Rus

One of my favorite Barry Bonds* clips I use as part of our morning show on 1420 WACK is where he says, “All you guys lied. All of you!” He’s referring to the media in that quote as accusations flew about his steroid use.

Now we know who lied.

Barry Bonds* was indicted yesterday on perjury and obstruction of justice charges. The indictment accuses Bonds* of lying to a Grand Jury when he said he did not knowingly take steroids or growth hormones. However, now prosecutors have revealed they have documentation showing Bonds* did indeed test positive for steroid use, and he knew he tested positive.

So tell me again Barry* — just who was it that lied?

Barry Bonds* has never been a hero, and should never be considered a hero. Now the world knows that he’s a cheater and a liar, and baseball should strip him of his place in the record book for home run leader. Let’s forget about the asterisk, and simply take his name off the books. It’s like a friend of mine always says — You can never go wrong by doing right. Barry Bonds* went very wrong and he thought just because he was an over-paid athlete, everyone would look the other way. Well Barry*, people may very well look the other way when they see you now, but it will be out of shame, not ignorance.

Barry Bonds* cheated in baseball, and then apparently lied to a grand jury. The federal government really takes a low view of people who lie to a grand jury. But maybe Barry* can look on the bright side of things. Martha Stewart lied to a grand jury, did her time, and now she’s doing a home tips kitchen show on TV. Maybe Martha is looking for a co-host and Barry* can apply for the job. After all, he is looking rather pumped up after all that steroid use so he can certainly lift a pan or two in the kitchen for Martha.

Just my two cents,
Dr. Rus

A couple months ago the City of Rochester, New York started what they called a Zero Tolerance Policy when it comes to crime on the streets. What brought this on? The 41st homicide in the city which took place in broad daylight at a busy intersection with a crowd of people watching. A woman was savagely beaten and stabbed to death in the middle of the street. No one stopped the crime, and to date, there are still no arrests in the case. It appears as though the police have little to no leads in the case!

First off, this is a very sad comment on the mindset of people in the portion of Rochester where this crime took place. It’s also a sad comment on the present state of society where a woman can be beaten and stabbed to death while others watch, doing nothing. Even after extensive canvassing of the neighborhood, no one is coming forward as a witness to the crime. It’s all part of the so-called Don’t Snitch, Don’t Tell thought in the world today too.

Now, and this is even more amazing, a Rochester City Councilman, who’s been a big defender of fighting crime in the city, says he plans to buy a gun so he can offer “armed protection” to witnesses who come forward in the case. That’s funny, I thought police officers were paid to do. What’s going on here? Now we have Councilman Adam McFadden wandering the streets of Rochester in some kind of vigilante mode, armed and dangerous, ready to pull a gun on someone who threatens a witness? Again, is this not what the police are supposed to do?

When challenged on his statement McFadden said — quote — “No. No apology. I said it, and I meant it!” He went on to say, “People talk about zero tolerance, I’m going to give you zero tolerance for real.” The Mayor of Rochester, Bob Duffy, who’s also the former Police Chief of Rochester, said he’s going to speak with Councilman McFadden privately. But, McFadden says he’s “not backing down.”

It appears as though Councilman McFadden wants to take the law into his own hands, while simultaneously turning the hands of time back to the days of the wild, wild west.

Just my two cents,
Dr. Rus

I recently met Herbie J. Pilato for coffee. Herbie J. is considered one of the foremost authorities on Bewitched and has also recently released a couple new books. One looks at the Bionic phenomenon while another looks at real life, as portrayed on TV. But, the real life he addresses, is not what one might think. He’s not addressing the glut of reality TV shows now on the market. Instead, he looks at TV shows addressing real life issues, while maintaining a serial like existence.

As we left the restaurant Herbie made a comment that’s really stayed with me. He said something to the effect of of — Let’s try living the script, instead of just writing a script.

Wow, what a thought! We live in a world where many try to distance themselves from reality, for the simple fact that sometimes reality is painful. However, by doing so, we don’t really experience life. While searching to write the perfect script for our life, we miss out on living the script of our life. Of course we also miss out on building any kind of relationship with those around us. Many are looking for friendship and someone to live life with. But, if we’re too busy trying to write the perfect life script, we miss out on the joy that surrounds us every day by living our life.

There was a time when going to a movie or watching a show on TV was a time to escape the reality of life. Entertainment provided a small break from the reality of what many times can be a cruel world. But, as time went on, the entertainment world of shows on TV and the big screen have become less about escapism and more about voyeurism. After all, if we can watch some reality show, why should we bother to deal with our own reality. And, by peering in on another persons reality, we’re not escaping from our reality, we’re simply becoming Peeping Tom’s in a voyeurism world.

What I’m describing is really nothing new. After all, we do live in a world of cycles, and we’ve grappled with these issues before. But, lets hope the pendulum swings soon back to a world of people being involved in their own lives, and living their lives with purpose and joy, instead of just looking in on the lives of others.

Just my two cents,
Dr. Rus

Some have been saying this for years. Some have even been removed from churches because of such a stance. Bill Hybels, the one many church leaders flocked to looking for the quick fix and fast growth method, has come out publicly saying he was wrong about the seeker friendly method of doing church.

That’s right, you did indeed read that correctly. Bill Hybels has now publicly said the Willow Creek Community Church method used in Chicago, is wrong. In his own words, here’s what Bill Hybels said to Bob Burney, host of Bob Burney Live, heard weekday afternoons on WRFD-AM 880 in Columbus, Ohio.

“We made a mistake. What we should have done when people crossed the line of faith and become Christians, we should have started telling people and teaching people that they have to take responsibility to become ‘self feeders.’ We should have gotten people, taught people, how to read their bible between services, how to do the spiritual practices much more aggressively on their own.”

Hybels went on to say;

“Some of the stuff that we have put millions of dollars into thinking it would really help our people grow and develop spiritually, when the data actually came back it wasn’t helping people that much. Other things that we didn’t put that much money into and didn’t put much staff against is stuff our people are crying out for.”

Wow! Can you hear the collective gasp in some portions of the body of Christ as suddenly they realize their self-proclaimed guru of church growth help actually lead them down the wrong garden path? What will the next step be? I’m sure Hybels won’t suddenly close up shop and stop taking in millions of dollars on church growth help. No, instead, he’ll probably come up with a program to sell to all the churches that missed the mark with the seeker sensitive method.

While working on my Doctorate at the Wagner Leadership Institute I remember a comment Dr. Peter Wagner made one day about church growth methods. Commenting on the volumes of material he’d written about church growth Dr. Wagner boldly proclaimed; “Some of what I wrote I need to ask forgiveness for because the thoughts about church growth were simply wrong.” Wow! Now there’s a full cycle comment if I ever heard one. I also remember how some of us in the class applauded Dr. Wagner for such a comment. Not only did he say he was wrong, but he also asked forgiveness. Then, right after making his statement, Dr. Wagner went on to teach about relationship, responsibility, and affecting the environment we live in. After all, isn’t that what the original 12 disciples did who studied at the Master’s feet?

Hey, I have an idea. Let’s simply go back to the what Jesus calls us to do. We’re called to be “salt and light” in the world, affecting the environment we live in, pointing people toward Him. It’s about relationship, not just numbers. There’s nothing wrong with using story, which of course was a large part of what Willow Creek did, and still does, to touch people. Jesus was, and is, the Master Storyteller. But, he never pulled any punches when it came to the reality of what the story He told meant. Yes, we need to mainstream the message, but lets not water it down so the call to responsibility is lost in the mix.

Just my two cents,
Dr. Rus

The complete article by Bob Burney can be read here — A Shocking “Confession” from Willow Creek Community Church.