Bishop Robert J. Cunningham (2007)

At this time last year I was both looking forward to my ordination with great anticipation… and wondering just what the future as an ordained member of the clergy would hold.  This morning at 6:08AM when my iPod popped up a message from Danielle E. Cummings, Diocesan Director of Communications, announcing the appointment of the Most Reverend Robert J. Cunningham as the next bishop of our diocese , effective May 26, 2009, I wondered once again about that future.  My first thought:  where do Permanent Deacons fit into Bishop Cunningham’s vision of the future for the Diocese of Syracuse? Our present bishop, James Moynihan, has been a solid supporter of the diaconate.  But what of the new leader of the diocese?

A bit of research yielded some indications.  According to the Summer 2005 Region II  Permanent Deacon News, “After the spring of 2004 and the installation of Bishop Robert J. Cunningham, the diocese developed and began to implement a new program.” of diaconate formation. The diocese had just come off a two year hiatus without a program after the closure of the Wadhams Hall Seminary College in Ogdensburg. The new program, heavily invested in on-line instruction through Notre Dame’s STEP program (Satellite Theological Education Program), has prepared over a dozen men for ordination.

The diocesan efforts have paid off, with 13 men to be ordained to the (deaconformationrequest_march2009) permanent diaconate on September 19, 2009, at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Ogdensburg, New York.  A bright future for the diaconate in this north country diocese…  and a sign of support from the new bishop designate.

Indeed, what a difference a year makes!
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LIKE TO KNOW MORE? Press Release, Diocese of Syracuse

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Bunny and I spent the weekend visiting Buffalo.  It’s become a mostly regular thing for us.  It use to be a tradition to always go down right before American Thanksgiving (or as they call it down there, “Thanksgiving”.)  We stock up on Christmas supplies and everything else we can think of as we know Toronto and Buffalo winters are horrible, thus it limits the amount of times we can cross the border.

Coincidentally enough, as I think and plan and mentally move myself from Toronto to Ottawa, I find my trips to Buffalo are become more frequent.  Even  short weekends on the other side that results in maybe only buying a few things (instead of having the car so loaded down with goodies that the trunk is dragging on the pavement) are becoming regular things.

And I’m about to give all that up.

Why? Because guess what?… Ottawa doesn’t have a border town.

Well, technically that’s not true. It does have a ‘border town’.  If you consider Ogdensburg or Massena, New York to be border towns, that is.  The upside is they do have WalMarts and supermarkets, but the next “big” American city even remotely close to Ottawa is Syracuse – and that’s three hours away.

Okay, so on an average day (taking border waits, traffic and everything else into consideration) a trip to Buffalo is two hours as the crow flies. So what’s another hour, right?  But the overall convenience of having Buffalo so close is something I’m going to miss.

Oh yeah… and those wings!

I’m sure there are some half-decent wing places in Syracuse (maybe even one in Watertown – also a passable border town).  I already know of the Colorado Mine Company – a great place for steaks when in Syracuse.  But nothing takes the place of being able to go to the Anchor Bar for the original Buffalo Wing.

I grew up in Montreal and the U.S. border towns were Plattsburgh (New York) and Burlington (Vermont).  Buffalo is like New York City compared to those places.  (No offense if you happen to live there and you’re reading this.  But then again, if you live there – and you’re reading this – then chances are you already know the shape of the town you live in.)

I’ve become used to Buffalo.  It’s the world next door for me.  Watertown, while helpful, doesn’t have the same stuff.  Neither do Massena or Ogdensburg.  I guess it’s just something I’ll have to live with for now.

As well, I’m sure after purchasing a house – and furnishing it - trips to the USA will be few and far between.

Donating to charity is a great way to get rid of a car when you don’t have the time to negotiate with used car salesmen or don’t think you can get what it’s worth. Donating a car to a charity lets you deduct its fair market value from your taxable income.

Step #1
Make sure the organization is a registered 501(c)(3) charity or a qualified religious organization that can legally accept your donation from which you can rightfully claim a tax reduction. It is also advisable to find a charity that accepts vehicles without charging a removal fee.

Step#2
Use the Kelley Blue Book or IRS Publications 526 (“Charitable Donations”) and 561 (“Determining the Value of Donated Property) to determine the fair market value of your car. If it’s worth $5,000 or more, have the car appraised by someone certified.

Step #3
Receive a tax receipt with the charity’s name and federal tax number, date of donation, donor’s name as well as the year, make and model of the car that was donated.

Step #4
Follow New York regulations on what to do with the title and plates after notifying the DMV and your insurance company that you no longer own or insure the vehicle. Your receipt and completed IRS Form 8283 should be kept in a safe place, you’ll be needing it when it comes time to file your taxes.

Ogdensburg Motor Vehicles
330 Ford Street, City Hall
Ogdensburg, NY 13669

How to Donate the Car to Outreach Center

Step #1
Know that for the easiest method and maximum tax benefits, the clear choice for car donations is the popular “Outreach Center” You can simply fill out a form on their Car Donation Website or by calling them on 800.768.7666

Step #2
Outreach Center will give you an idea of whether your car will be able to be used as a program car that can be given in aid of needy children. If the car isn’t worthy, it will be sold at auction or for scrap, in which case you can only use the sale value or scrap value. You will get an email or letter back about the decision.

Step #3
Note that in the event that you are pre-approved, you will send Outreach Center your signed title, and they will pick up the vehicle free of charge and have it inspected. If approved, you get a tax voucher in the mail letting you know you can take the fair market value for tax purposes.

Step #4
Sit back, and smile knowing that you did something nice for charity and at the same time got a nice reward for yourself as well.

TIPS
* If the charitable organization is going to make material improvements to your car donation, you must get written notice within 30 days about the use and duration of such improvements and that the asset won’t be sold or bartered until the improvements are finished.

* If the fair market value of your vehicle is less than $500, it doesn’t matter what the car will be used for. You can take the full fair market value on your tax return.

WARNING:
* Make sure you choose a reputable company before donating your car
* Don’t pay for towing – The better known car donation companies will usually foot the bill.

Things you’ll Need:
* Internet connection and computer
* Form 1040 for Federal tax return
* Title to car you will be donating
* Itemized deduction tax form
* Used car with some blue book value
* Keys to Car

Sources and Citations:
Car Donation Website
Kelley Blue Book value website
IRS website for tax forms
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles
Official Site for St Lawrence

    When my father moved to upstate New York, he knew his new job would be full of intriguing challenges. Working at Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center in Ogdensburg, but a stone’s throw from the Saint Lawrence and only a few miles from the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge, Dad knew he would face budget challenges common to small hospitals anywhere. Moving into a house which had heard only French for 30 years, my father quickly learned that his duties would be divided between hospital administrator and international ambassador. The many patients from Canada and the international doctors he recruited brought him directly into interaction with our nation’s multitude of immigration quotas, H1-B visas, and international health policies. Though his specific job in a town on the Canadian border is particularly prone to immigration legislation, every city and township in the U.S. deals with immigration laws because of the globalizing nature of the world economy.

    This month, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates appeared before the House Committee on Science Technology to advocate for more H1-B visas for highly-skilled foreign workers. Last year’s quotas, set at 65,000 with an additional 20,000 for students, was filled by April. As a result, thousands of skilled international students at our nation’s most prestigious universities were left jobless until January 2008.

    Some critics maintain that these foreign-born scientists and specialists take jobs that would be filled by Americans if the salary was higher. Gates points out, though, that the average salary for these highly-qualified occupations is over $100,000. More importantly, Gates continues, is that these H1-B visas spur economy by bringing in “not only those people for these high-paying jobs, but the four or five jobs we create around each of those engineers” (“Bill Gates Targets Visa Rules for Tech Workers” NPR)

    Other critics say that these highly-qualified workers eventually leave our country, taking with them their money and their expertise and leaving a void. Gates echoes the sentiments of almost 6 million people in this nation who have overstayed their visas when he says that these people “overwhelmingly want to stay in the country” (“Bill Gates Targets Visa Rules for Tech Workers” NPR)

    America must move beyond the outdated idea of anybody being an outsider. Martin Luther King, Jr., recognized this some 45 years ago in his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail:” “Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states…Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial ‘outside agitator’ idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds” (Why We Can’t Wait 77). Taken to its logical conclusion, no one in this globalized world can ever be considered an outsider or a foreigner. If our country would work as diligently on our Welcome as on our “Wait,” if we would strive to truly integrate and educate every person within our borders with the same intensity with which many now decry all immigrants regardless of their length of residency, we would begin to reclaim the progressive nature our nation once possessed and the creative edge it is in danger of losing.

Nel 1887 Thomas Edison, uno dei più grandi geni industriali della storia, inventore del fonografo e della lampadina, e in quel momento uomo ricchissimo, investì la sua fortuna in un progetto pericoloso.

Gli Stati Uniti erano nel pieno di un boom economico e la domanda di ferro, destinato ad alimentare le acciaierie, era in crescita continua. In natura, il ferro si trova nella magnetite, nell’ematite e in altri cristalli, che di solito sono mescolati a rocce. I giacimenti migliori, ovviamente, sono quelli concentrati, dove il minerale è molto e la roccia è poca. Negli Stati Uniti, i maggiori giacimenti di questo tipo erano in profondità, e per sfruttarli bisognava scavare costose miniere sotterranee. Ciò nonostante, questi giacimenti erano molto più redditizi di quelli di superficie, poco concentrati, dove gli scavi erano rapidi ma troppo lavoro andava sprecato rompendo rocce che non contenevano minerale.

Edison si chiese se non si potesse meccanizzare l’estrazione di superficie, risparmiando lavoro, così che anche questi giacimenti diventassero convenienti. Tempo cinque minuti, Edison aveva disegnato uno schizzo. Tempo qualche mese, aveva comprato un vasto giacimento superficiale a Ogdensburg, nel New Jersey, e dava inizio alla costruzione di un impianto rivoluzionario.

Il processo di estrazione si divideva in queste fasi:

1. gli ingegneri staccavano blocchi di rocce dalle colline con la dinamite, senza curarsi più di tanto di quanto minerale contenessero;
2. gli operai caricavano le rocce su rulli meccanici che le trasportavano all’impianto;
3. all’impianto, due giganteschi cilindri d’acciaio schiacciavano le rocce, riducendole in frammenti minuti;
4. una cremagliera faceva salire i frammenti fino alla bocca di un silos, dove erano fatti cadere dentro;
5. nei silos, magneti elettrici deviavano la caduta della magnetite, separandola dalla roccia;
6. la magnetite, che atterrava in uno scomparto, era poi fusa in pani e venduta alle fonderie; la roccia, che cadeva in un altro scomparto, era venduta come sabbia edile.

Allora i minerali di ferro si vendevano a 6 dollari la tonnellata. Edison calcolò che il suo impianto avrebbe prodotto magnetite a un costo di 5 dollari, quanto bastava per trarne profitti generosi.

Non andò così. Innanzi tutto, costruire l’impianto fu un’avventura. Edison dovette inventare molti congegni ex novo, perché non trovava sul mercato quelli che gli servivano. Per Edison inventare era divertimento, ma le invenzioni procedono per prove ed errori. Edison non faceva eccezione, se è vero che, come dicono i suoi biografi, accese la prima lampadina dopo tredicimila tentativi falliti. In un impianto come quello di Ogdensburg, prova ed errore significarono cremagliere inceppate, giunti spezzati, cilindri sfondati, motori in fiamme, condutture esplose e altri incidenti che terminavano nella fuga degli operai sotto una pioggia di selci, con scene pittoresche che ricordavano l’eruzione di Pompei.

L’impianto aprì solo nel 1891, e solo nel 1898 scese ai livelli di costo che Edison aveva sperato.

Intanto, nel 1890, compagnie minerarie rivali avevano scoperto il giacimento di ematite di Mesaba, nella zona dei Grandi Laghi. Questo giacimento aveva caratteristiche straordinarie:

• l’ematite era in concentrazione altissima;
• stava in superficie;
• i cristalli erano mescolati con rocce friabili e facili da separare;
• il giacimento era tanto grande da potere rifornire tutte le acciaierie americane per decenni.

Le compagnie impiantarono a Mesaba un processo di estrazione assai semplice: le ruspe scavavano canali a cielo aperto; gli operai, armati di vanghe, recuperavano i cristalli; i cristalli erano caricati su vagoni e spediti ai clienti.

Nel 1894 John D. Rockefeller acquistò il giacimento e, deciso a creare un monopolio del ferro, inondò la nazione di ematite. Nel 1898, quando Ogdensburg era a regime e i costi di produzione erano arrivati a 4,75 dollari la tonnellata, il prezzo di mercato era sceso a 3,5 dollari.

Edison, che non solo aveva speso tutto il suo denaro, ma era nei debiti fin sopra le orecchie, alzò bandiera bianca e chiuse l’impianto di Ogdensburg. I biografi ci informano che Edison accettò il disastro con serenità; agli amici diceva che alla peggio sarebbe tornato a fare il telegrafista, il suo primo mestiere. Invece si rimise in piedi: aprì un cementificio, dove trasferì molte tecniche inventate a Ogdensburg, e in pochi anni ricostituì il suo patrimonio.

Questa storia ci insegna quattro lezioni.

La prima è che potete concepire un progetto cattivo anche se siete molto intelligenti. Edison, che era un genio, non pensò che negli Stati Uniti c’erano territori insondati che potevano celare giacimenti favolosi. Scommettere tutto il proprio denaro su un giacimento di seconda scelta mentre le esplorazioni erano ancora in corso era come stuzzicare la sfortuna a colpire.

La seconda è che spesso la sfortuna colpisce.

La terza è che dopo avere avviato un progetto sentirete una forte motivazione a portarlo a termine. Questa motivazione può farvi superare le difficoltà, ma può anche farvi trascurare i segnali avversi che vi dicono che fareste meglio a lasciare perdere. Mesaba fu scoperto nel 1890; Edison avrebbe potuto capire già allora che Ogdensburg era condannato; eppure continuò a investirci quattrini per altri otto anni.

La quarta è che un progetto cattivo dura quanto durano le vostre risorse. In affari, le risorse sono i soldi. Produrre senza vendere, o vendendo sotto costo, vi manda in perdita; e a furia di perdite giungerete al punto in cui dovete capitolare. Nella vita personale le risorse sono la pazienza, la capacità di soffrire e altre virtù che, tirando le somme, è meglio abbiate in piccola quantità se non volete insistere nei vostri cattivi progetti fino alla vecchiaia.