ROSE (roz) n. One of the most beautiful of all flowers, a symbol of fragrance and loveliness. Often given as a sign of appreciation.

RASPBERRY (raz'ber'e) n. A sharp, scornful comment, criticism or rebuke; a derisive, splatting noise, often called the Bronx cheer.

We hereby deliver:

• ROSES to all of you out there who were patient, helpful and prepared during the spate of messy weather that came in along with the New Year. Yes, there probably were some true cretins out there who cut off people and prompted some frightening skids on icy roads, but there were many more examples — too many to even mention — of people pulling together to ensure that those without power or heat could warm up beside a woodstove.

Oregon is not all that removed from its pioneer past, when drawing together in winter was just a standard survival technique. Nice to know that tradition was so easily dusted off and put back into use when it mattered.

• ROSES to the city of Corvallis for a job well done. From tough issues of managing growth to the daily tasks of keeping the library in good running order, answering police calls promptly and putting out fires, Corvallis residents responding to the Corvallis Citizen Attitude Survey gave their city a 86.5 approval rating — 65.3 percent said the city was doing a good job, while 21.2 percent gave the city an excellent rating.

The fire department earned a 100 percent rating of either good or excellent.

The rating is particularly significant, because it shows that the city is doing more with less, since voters rejected the city's operating levy request in 2002.

The survey proves what many who know public employees already know: They work hard, and they care about their jobs, although they seldom get thanks. It's nice that isn't the case in Corvallis.

• RASPBERRIES to Australian "Crocodile Hunter" and macho man Steve Irwin. He has a lot of 'splainin' to do for dangling his month-old-son, Robert, near the jaws of a 13-foot crocodile.

The incident occurred at Irwin's reptile park north of Brisbane. Irwin was holding a piece of chicken over the crocodile's head in one hand while cradling his tiny son in his other arm. It wasn't only that Irwin was giving the crocodile a choice between the two. He held his body as a shield between the croc and the baby, and besides, crocodiles prefer to eat dead meat.

Most amiss was what Irwin said to the many critics of his stunt, which Australian media immediately likened to the November 2002 incident in Berlin when Michael Jackson dangled his son over a hotel balcony railing by his feet.

In an unfortunate echo of Jackson's response, Irwin said, "I was in complete control of the crocodile. Robert was tucked right in my arm."

Let's recap something that Irwin himself is fond of saying: Crocodiles and alligators are dinosaurs, having survived millions and millions of years by knowing how to survive. That includes eating whenever food is offered. Nobody "controls" them.

A raspberry, too, for former Eugene resident Terri Irwin, Steve's wife. She handed her baby to Irwin and giggled during the stunt, then later said it was a "wonderful sensory experience" for her son. "He dug it."

Hooo-kay. Well, the baby and the croc aren't talking, but here's hoping that the Irwins see that there is no public relations benefit to being compared right now to Michael Jackson in matters of childcare. Speaking of sweet new babies;

• ROSES and welcome to tiny Aden Young. Corvallis' first baby of 2004 arrived 30 seconds into the year to father Tet Young and mother Jac Lim. The little boy was born a healthy 6 pounds, 3 ounces and is surveying his new surroundings through his alert, dark eyes. Aden's father and mother are from Singapore, where they plan to return next year. In the meantime, Tet Young is working at Hewlett-Packard Co., while Jac Lim works as a homemaker.

Baby Aden was due Dec. 31, but apparently was determined to make his entrance in the limelight and delayed his arrival by a day.

• RASPBERRIES to Clackamas County Judge Deanne Darling for being too late denying accused murderer Ward Weaver visitation rights with his daughter.

Weaver remains jailed in connection with the aggravated murders of teenagers Ashley Pond and Miranda Gaddis. However, Darling ruled in October 2002 that Weaver could have supervised visits with his daughter. However, Darling reversed her ruling after Weaver reportedly showed his daughter photographs of Ashley and Miranda during one of her visits.

The youngster reportedly was "inconsolable" after that visit, according to her aunt.

The issue of "innocent until proven guilty" doesn't apply here. State child welfare agencies routinely remove children from abusive environments where the parents are accused of far less heinous offenses than the brutal sexual assault and murder of two teenaged girls. Why it took Darling so long to come around to the notion that Weaver was perhaps not the best influence on the child earns her a raspberry.

• RASPBERRIES REDUX to Rob Zako of Eugene, who took us to task for calling him a plagiarist.

In fact, he had a point.

We took Zako to task for allegedly putting his name on a column written by Miami-based columnist Dave Barry. The column appeared locally in a newsletter for an organization to which Zako belongs that opposes construction of the $400 million PeaceHealth hospital building.

Well, in fact, Zako wrote the column himself. He then put Dave Barry's name on it.

Zako said that he assumed people would know it wasn't Barry who wrote it, but apparently there was some confusion (what with the by-line reading "Dave Barry" and all) so he apologized after Barry protested.

In a letter to the Gazette-Times, Zako explained: "I didn't claim work I had no part in producing. That would be plagiarism: plain old theft … I took great effort to produce a work in the style of Dave Barry, indeed, in admiration of his work, which poked fun at a serious issue … I then gave Dave Barry credit for the work he didn't produce. What I did was parody …"

Hmm. Too bad Barry didn't quite see it that way. He should have been flattered that a guy in Eugene was using his name in a newsletter, but actually wasn't too excited. Go figure.

This is a simple concept, really: People should sign their own writing with their own name, and stay away from using either the name or the work of another author without attribution.