Sunday at Central at the Forum

Although it isn't Sunday, today at the Forum we enjoyed the musicians from the "Sunday at Central" Symphonic Group playing Bach. Fantastic flutist/flautist. Description: "Sunday @ Central’s mission is to expand the audience for classical music through imaginative and interdisciplinary programming, and to promote the appreciation and enjoyment of music in the Central Ohio area by funding and presenting the highest quality musical events. Sunday at Central is positioned as a top-caliber nonprofit classical music organization that strives to be accessible and inspirational to all arts appreciators in the Central Ohio area." 

If you hustle over to Broad Street Presbyterian tomorrow at 3 pm (September 21) you might see the same program. There is a YouTube site you can subscribe to. 

https://sundayatcentral.org/event/6164963/727092495/bach-brandenburg?

Sunday At Central - YouTube

Hazy and smoky in central Ohio

This is from a Forbes article 4 years ago. But we had heard it from an Arizona tourist guide in 2003--environmental regulations are part of the problem with wildfires. You wonder what other "green" goals will cause havoc in 20 years.

"Yet in spite of blaming climate change and attacking President Trump for suggesting bad environmental policies made California’s fires worse, California’s outgoing governor, Jerry Brown, quietly signed two bills to correct the worst of the state’s fire management policy missteps, proving Trump was right all along." (Forbes, Nov. 27, 2018)

Not a topic I usually research, but central Ohio is pretty smoky from 161 fires in Canada. A friend posted on Facebook an aerial photo of Mt. Verson, OH, and you can barely see the town. Our dinner guest last night had already sought emergency medical attention for his asthma earlier in the day.

Update: Everyone's talking about the smoky haze and hot weather. Photos of downtown Columbus are amazing--we can hardly see it.   And I'm concerned about the guys on my neighbor's roof. They've been replacing it for over 12 hours. Want to bet they are immigrants?

Get Smart Week, November 14-20

 

Get Smart About Antibiotics Week is an annual one-week observance by the CDC to raise awareness of the threat of antibiotic resistance and the importance of appropriate antibiotic prescribing and use based on a September 2015 Executive Order. https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/09/18/executive-order-combating-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria

Not all Executive Orders are bad or life changing. The numbers of them mean little.  FDR is the all time winner, and Bill Clinton issued more than either Bush or Obama.  It will take some research to find out if all the committees and boards on the antibiotics week (Executive Order 12353 of March 23, 1982 revised) have reported to the President. To check others, and to see if you think Congress should have been involved: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/executive-orders

 I read through the change order for revising the wording of collecting funds and volunteer time from federal employees for distribution to voluntary organizations, and not sure I could understand the legalize. In central Ohio we get "Bucks for Charity" which is October 3-November 30 (I just received mine yesterday) listing 300 local charitable organizations to support.  I always read this carefully--many are organizations that I would never donate to. I think it's better to know the organizations personally and donate with discrimination.

I wrote about this in 2006 and found an acronym COSMO, Community Share of Mid Ohio, which appeared to get 10% of the total, and then it's organizations received percentages of that.  Here were some groups I would never donate to individually.

•  ACLU mid-Ohio chapter, 18.8%;
  
  BRAVO, which works to eliminate violence perpetrated on the basis of sexual orientation and gender, 31%;
  
  Kaleidoscope for gay, lesbian, bixexual, transgendered and questioning youth, 14.8%;
  
  NARAL Pro-Choice (formerly known as National Abortion Rights Action League, then the National Abortion & Reproductive Rights Action League, but it still kills babies);
  
  Coalition on sexual assault;
  
  domestic violence network, 5.7%;
  
  NOW education and Legal Fund, 12% (recently changed its name to Legal Momentum apparently to hide its connection to NOW);
  
  Open Hand for AIDS, 15%;
  
  Stonewall (gay rights), 19.1%;
  
  a variety of environmental, disability, animal rights, and arts groups;
  
  Camp Fire, 28%; Cat Welfare 1%; and Habitat for Humanity, 4.9%. 

Cat Welfare is still on the list, which I think is not right (even though our sweet kitty lived there in her youth) as is NARAL.  What is Stonewall using its money for now?  Hormones for sexually confused children?

Two local history titles on Jerome, Ohio

I’ve been living in Columbus since 1967, and I admit that until today I’d never hear of Jerome, Ohio, which is just up the road near Dublin, and was described 65 years ago by Johnny Jones, columnist 1940-1971 for the Columbus Dispatch, as “American as apple pie” and off the state highways where you cross the O’Shaughnessy Dam Bridge near the Columbus Zoo. With Dublin spreading out, Jerome had a 90% increase in population in the last decade, from about 4,000 in 2000 to 7500 in 2010. Author of the first book, Les Gates, grew up in Jerome and recorded his fond memories in a small book titled simply “Jerome” (3d ed. 2014). Gates returned to the home place after serving in the military and was in the insurance business for many years in Dublin, OH.  After a few words about his parents and life on the Gates farm at 7379 Brock Road, he continues with memories, photos and descriptions of neighboring farms, the local school and business establishments like the Twin Oaks Golf Course and Seely Grocery Store. Gates is about my age, and includes stories of his years at Dublin High School with photos of his team sports, baseball and football.

In a conversation with another Jerome resident, 99 year old Mary Alice Schacherbauer, Les Gates learned she had a diary of her writings with memories and musings from 1914 to 2014. With his interest in Jerome, Les and his wife Mary decided to edit and publish her memories also  as “Days I remember; my memories and musings from 1914 to 2014. “ Mrs. Schacherbauer is about the age of my parents, so I particularly enjoyed her stories of school in the 1920s, and found to my surprise that people had school buses back then.  My parents lived on farms near Dixon, Illinois, and walked to school. She and her husband Lee married in 1937 and were active in the Jerome United Methodist Church.  She includes family stories and has many fond memories of grandparents and aunts and uncles. Several of her poems are included, and she closes with prayer for “our country, our world, our way of life.” One hundred years old and she has seen a lot of changes, but still enjoys life and especially her memories.

You can purchase one or both titles from Amazon or at local gift shops. Or you can contact Les Gates at goldengator1938@yahoo.com.

Litter--whose problem?

This morning I was reading an Indianapolis Star blog and the writer said she'd been through 5 midwestern states, and Indiana got the prize for litter. That doesn't make me feel better about Columbus, nor its suburb, Upper Arlington. We recently returned from California, staying in Tustin, but visiting many towns in Orange County and along the coast and in the "valley." Maybe we joke about Californians being tree huggers, but I think they do take more pride in not just environment with a capital E, but in the immediate environment of their neighborhoods, business districts and freeways. Our side walk was installed in 2009 and I think the residents of the two houses at Millcreek and Kenny have not peeked over their hedges and bushes to the easement, because it's a mess. And it's not just winter trash. It's also dead leaves and weeds from 2009.

And Mayor Coleman of Columbus should be ashamed of the interchanges of major arteries in and out of Columbus' neighborhoods (I see mainly 315). How does he expect to attract new business or confidence in a well-run and safe city if it looks like a trash truck overturned every 2 or 3 blocks? The areas with safety fences and barricades are the worst--by the times the bushes bloom, the plastic bags, bottles and newspapers are almost impossible to reach. Someone needs to tackle them in March.

Yes, we walkers, joggers and strollers can take a trash bag with us, and drivers can stop throwing things out of car windows, but some of this just accumulates from blowing off construction sites and from trucks, or is debris left from storms and snow plows. It will take some commitment from our city administrations to keep things looking tidy and prosperous. Even if you are poor, you don't have to look it. Let's send a few over paid administrators out to the road side with a stick and bag to pick up the trash.

This is a volunteer in the Cleveland area in 2009. I wonder if he outsources?

Bucks for Charity 2010--the list

Back in the 80s I received recognition at Ohio State for my donation to their community drive/campaign (don't recall what it was called then--United Way, I think). I got a pin, a certificate and an invitation to gather at the Union with the President, various board members and maybe a coach or too. Imagine my surprise when I found out the party was paid for by a beer company. Alcohol probably destroys the lives of more young college students than bad grades, unrequited love, and over reaching professors. That was the last time I donated--but I always read the list of organization that get a percentage.

First on the aggregate list this year is EarthShare Ohio. I just clicked through a few names on the list (there are more at the web site than on the printed list), and you don't have to go far to find some fairly radical names, events, and causes. If you see "environmental justice," "just us" turns out to be blacks and they'll take white people's money. So it looks like Earthshare Ohio gets 3.5% of the total, and then each group on its list gets a percentage of that (that is not clearly explained in the book), like American Farmland Trust gets 20.1% and The Wilds gets 11.6%, etc. Just glancing quickly through the page of Farmland Trust I see it pushed with some reservations the 2009 Food Safety Enhancement Act, which should increase the numbers of government workers and the cost of our food while promoting more safety, and most of the provisions look like they will hurt the little grower/farmer. Not sure I understand water quality trading.

EarthShare: Who We Support - America's most respected environmental charities

After EarthShare Ohio there is United Way of Central Ohio (11.8%), United Way of Delaware County (19.7%), United Way of Fairfield Country (9.9%), United Way of Licking county (21.6%), United Way of Pickaway County (14.5%), United Way of Union County (19.0%), United Negro College Fund (13%), Community Shares of Mid Ohio (6.3%), which supports NARAL Pro-Choice, and Community Health Charities of Ohio (9.6%).

So here's my suggestion. Look through the Bucks for Charity book and if you see something that interests you, look them up on the Internet, check out their mission statement and the names of the people on the board and what legislation, particularly environmental, they support. Remember this when you see the hoopla about man made global warming. They didn't begin measuring the climate's temperatures until the end of the last little ice age, so yes, it is getting warmer. . . that happens after an Ice Age. Also, a lot of those temperature gauges are on asphalt parking lots near concrete and brick buildings. I'm just saying. . . When you're satisfied you've found an organization that matches your values and life mission, send a check directly.

Support Steve Stivers

Steve Stivers is running in my 15th district in Ohio.  Even if you're out of the district, you can support him. You can donate on line or the old fashioned way, which I find much more personal.  I don't really like the expensive GOP fund raisers (one campaign required me to go to the P.O. to pick up and sign for the item another sent me $1.00), so am sending support to the candidates I like.  Right now the big issues are the deficit and government spending.  If they turn out to be RINOs, turn them out.  If Steve can't do a better job than Mary Jo Kilroy and help stop Obama, then vote him out the next time.

Stivers for Congress
211 S. 5th Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: 614-358-0800

The street easement mowing and care is a home owner's responsibility

Construction during 2009

We have "new" sidewalks in our neighborhood. The easement, which belongs to the city, is narrow and when walking you're probably within about 6' of cars and trucks whizzing by, drivers on cell phones, moms talking to kids, stuff blowing off trucks. But most of us are happy to have them, and I see a lot of people getting out to walk. It's supposed to be near 90 today, so I went out at 8:10 to take advantage of the shade walking north.

The residents at the corner of Kenny and Millcreek do not take good care of their property in general, but the easement along Kenny is a disaster. Horizontal weeds grow out on to the sidewalk 12 to 18 inches. Vertical weeds are 2-3 ft tall. Plastic bottles and bags snuggle up to the weeds.

If the owners won't take care of it, the city should give them a warning and then charge them for the maintenance.

Then on Regency Dr. a bit east of Kenny the driveway ribbons and curbs that connect to the street are crumbling and dangerous--chunks of concrete are in the street. The other streets aren't that way. Whose responsibility is this? All the houses through there are very expensive, some are for sale. I wouldn't want to purchase a home where taxes are high and maintenance and pride are low.

A blog about prisons

I've been in a number of prisons, not as a prisoner, but as a visitor primarily following the same guy through the system until after seven years or so he was "shock parolled" after his 5th wife was murdered by her boyfriend leaving a baby to raise. I guess the parole board thought he was the guy to do it. The reason he had a baby was that he had escaped in the prison garbage truck and they left town together.

Yesterday the Conestoga group met at the Ohio Historical Society (now open only on Saturdays due to budget cuts by the state) to hear David Meyers talk about the local music scene. Wonderful presentation with great photos. David has over 4,000 pages of manuscript on this topic and a huge rare record collection--that's sort of what a fascination with local history can do. But he has also written about Ohio's prisons, and his latest book is out. While checking that web page I came across his blog, Central Ohio's Historic Prisons. Because of Dave's encyclopedic interests in music, records, film, prisons, local history (he also worked on Columbus Unforgettables series now out of print), screen writing, religion and family, he somehow manages to merge all of them in his blog--with photos. See the record labels about the great Ohio Penitentiary fire, April 21, 1930! And did you know the Professor of psychology at OSU who coined the term "moron" was once the coach of the USC Trojans? It's all on Dave's blog. Ah, a blogger after my own heart.

He's also on Facebook, and a member of UALC for you locals.

Winter Weddings

Doesn't that sound romantic? This morning at the coffee shop I heard a couple discussing a winter wedding where they sang up near Cleveland the day after New Year's in extreme weather--but it all turned out well. The church was near the hotel where all the other events took place and the men were even able to gather early for the football games. The worst winter wedding I attended was that of Cheri and Donal O'Mathuna, and it was during one of Columbus' freak April blizzards. At one of my other blogs, Lynne is guest blogger and writes about attending our classmate Ebba's wedding during a 24" snow storm in 1964. It looks like Illinois is being socked in again today--our snow is expected a little later today.

$230 million of tobacco settlement diverted

The 10th district Court of Appeals ruled yesterday that Ohio could spend the tobacco prevention money (American Legacy Foundation via The Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Foundation) on an expansion of health care for children. This is part of the lucrative settlement from the 1998 tobacco companies settlement. Between the 1998 Tobacco Settlement and tobacco taxes, Ohio will receive $1.8 billion, but only $7.4 million goes for prevention. Less than the CDC recommends. In my opinion, they might as roll the dollars and smoke them. Tobacco use is up, and I doubt there's hard evidence that educational programs on tobacco prevents smoking or chewing in children; it only educates them about tobacco and its harmful effects. I've been in education all my life, but education does not mean wisdom, or action, or prevention, or right choices. It's just. . . education . . . and the person makes the choices. I don't know a single smoker who doesn't know the facts, dangers, and pitfalls. They know they stink, have yellow fingers and wrinkles, but the pleasure outweighs the negatives and they keep kicking the stop date down the road. Most obese people have more knowledge than some dieticians--they just don't use it. People who talk or text while driving have probably heard dozens of times how dangerous it is--but they don't act on what they know, even if they've seen the accidents or attended the funerals.

Health librarians were salivating when they first got a whiff of this tobacco money back in the 90s. I remember sitting in the meetings wondering what would happen to programming and staff when, 1) the settlement money ran out, or 2) if education were successful and people really did stop smoking, what would happen to the tobacco tax supported programs?

Well, I think adults do smoke less--usually because of a health scare, or the health of a family member, like a child with asthma. But it takes a lot. The other day a woman I know went outside the coffee shop to smoke and slipped on the ice jamming her cigarette into her face. Will she stop smoking? No. Does she not know the dangers? Yes. She'll just be more careful about icy parking lots next time.

Joe the Lip promised us a disaster after Obama was elected

And he was right! He said we'd question his plans and results. And he was right! Biden's all over the Ohio northwestern TV stations, spreading it deep and thick. Not only has his administration taken over and destroyed what was left of the auto industry of northern Ohio by giving it to the unions with our tax money, but it is planning to destroy our energy based economy with the phony baloney cap n trade, which will benefit the same rich corporate execs (plus Al Gore) but will destroy local jobs. We've got counties up here with a 17% unemployment rate, compared to about 6% during the 2006 campaign in which Strickland and other Democrats constantly griped about "this economy." Now they want to make it even worse with green pie in the sky and kill the southern half of the state.

Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, Kentucky and southern Illinois are all coal states. You know, the "dirty" stuff that has supplied about 90% of your electricity and powers the industries where you work. Now they want to clutter the prairies and lakes with windmills, a very unreliable source of energy, but 3 guesses who will own the stock and who will be trading those credits!

A graphic at Powerline today is worth looking at. It shows the state-by-state annual taxes incurred due to cap-and-trade based on EIA and CBO data. Ohio's new tax bill? $642.5 million annually, following Texas, Indiana, and West Virginia.

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2009/06/023883.php

Ohio turns out to be the 4th biggest loser, which is fine if you're on reality TV competing with 49 other obese contestants, but this reality is lost jobs, incomes, schools, libraries, parks, highways, and it's big votes for Democrats who always promise a thousand times more than they can deliver, and people fall for it. Just like the FDR era, where they preferred WPA jobs to real jobs. Remember, the P in WPA was changed from Progress to Projects after several years of failure.

Thursday Thirteen in Central Ohio

Winter blahs? All your friends going on cruises or to Florida during the cold weather? Here are 13 things to do right here in Columbus or central Ohio, and for one (13) you're already too late, and another, you'd better hurry.

1. Greenlawn Cemetery--I've lived here over 40 years and I've driven past, but never through. And yet it is very famous for its art and architecture. Bird watchers love this place. According to Amy's Genealogy blog which has many great photos: “Little Georgie,” as some refer to him, was the only child of Eli and Sarah Blount. Eli was the owner and proprietor of the American Hotel in downtown Columbus. On 7 February 1873, the family was getting ready to go out and little George, only 5 years old, decided that the fastest way to get downstairs was to slide down the banister. Sadly, the railing broke and George fell; he died eight days later. His tombstone features an almost lifesize likeness. People regularly leave toys at his grave.

2. Need a breath of spring? Try the Franklin Park Conservatory. A favorite place for art shows and weddings. Anyone remember Ameriflora? My husband's firm was very involved, and I think we went about once a week (free passes).

3. I've blogged before about the Objects of Wonder show at the Columbus Museum of Art. Absolutely stunning material from the nooks, crannies, closets and art galleries of Ohio State University. You haven't got much more time for this one--January 11, I think. Sunday is a free day. Go early and then enjoy lunch in the Palette Restaurant designed by my husband. Great food and ambiance.

4. Another place I've driven past but not visited. The Ohio Craft Museum is located at 1665 West Fifth Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43212. Parking and admission are free. Hours: Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sunday, 1–4 p.m. Closed Saturday. Telephone (614) 486-4402. The museum is owned and operated by Ohio Designer Craftsmen and receives ongoing funding from the Ohio Arts Council, the Greater Columbus Arts Council, and the Columbus Foundation.

5. There are a ton of things to see and do down town connected with the state government. The Ohio Statehouse is a wonderful example of a building designed to symbolize our democratic form of government--a Greek temple. Add a goddess with her hand held out, and you've got it! February, our short month, is also long and boring, so why not visit? The Ohio Statehouse is open Monday – Friday 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Free guided tours are offered from Mondays through Fridays on the hour from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., and on Saturdays and Sundays from noon until 3 p.m. Tours depart from the 3rd Street Information Desk. Groups of 10 or more are requested to call 614/728-2695 in advance to assure a guide is available for your group. You could stop in after your free Sunday visit to the Museum of Art. Parking down below. Couldn't be easier.

6. Celebrate Lincoln’s 200th birthday on February 12, or sooner. "Because of the state's political stature, the Ohio Statehouse has been visited by a number of dignitaries, including Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln visited the Ohio Statehouse three times. In 1859, he spoke to a small crowd on the east terrace; in 1861, he spoke to a joint session of the Ohio Legislature in the House Chamber; and finally, on April 29, 1865, President Lincoln lay in state in the Rotunda for six and a half hours. As his casket was being transported from Washington, D.C., to its final resting place in Illinois, more than 50,000 people came to Columbus to pass by the fallen President’s body. This continues to be the highest attended event at the Capitol to date. It is important to note that the city of Columbus only had a population of 31,000 residents at the time of Lincoln’s assassination.

7. Then stroll a few blocks and visit the incredible Ohio Judicial Center on Front Street. "The building was constructed in an era when architectural sculpture – carved and sculpted decoration and inspiring slogans – was popular. In carving the exterior, sculptor Alvin Meyer used the highly ornamental Beaux Arts style, incorporating symbolism and history. The exterior features portrayals of Ohio industry, bas relief sculptures, inscriptions and sculptures devoted to Ohio’s history." We watched the murals being cleaned back in the 1990s--which upset some citizens who thought the "original" colors too bright--and for one of the early repairs of the building before this current one (when my husband was a partner in another firm), we actually had the original architectural drawings from the 1930s in our house! They were a piece of art in themselves. Even if you are not a librarian, go up to the 11th floor and visit the Law Library. SPECTACULAR!!

8. I knew Ohio used to be under a glacier (we've had global warming big time), but I didn't know about Glacier Ridge Park. This is the one I said you'd need to plan for NOW. Winter survival skills Learn techniques to survive the winter cold, with John Bieseker of Coyote Trails. Only Jan 4, 2009 2 p.m. Named for the end moraine that was left behind when the Wisconsin Glacier retreated some 12,000 to 17,000 years ago, much of this Metro Park was once covered with farm lands. With help from Honda of America, Metro Parks has restored a 250-acre wetland area. Eleven miles of trails wind through the park.

9. Yes, this is a bit heavy on art, isn't it? Can't sing or dance. And what better topic for these days of sub-prime meltdowns and no more house flipping than real estate?
Dublin Arts Center
7125 Riverside Drive
Dublin, Ohio 43016.
January 6
Charles Kanwischer: Real Estate Drawings
DAC gallery
Opening reception
6 to 8pm
Artist's talk, The Poetics of Real Estate, 6:30 pm
Exhibition continues through Feb. 20

10. Sharon Weiss Gallery in the Short North. There's all kinds of things to see in the Short North, but I chose this because we were in Florence this past summer. Open Thursday through Saturday from 12 until 5pm, and Sunday from 1 until 4pm. The gallery is located at 20 East Lincoln Street, just east of North High Street in the Short North. January 2009 is Rachel Stern, artist, featuring paintings from Florence, Italy.

11. Short North is the home of The Gallery Hop which is First Saturday of the month, so if you miss this month, try February or March. Our friend Jeff Hersey runs Terra Gallery, 8 E. Poplar Ave., in the Short North. He's a member of the UALC Visual Arts Ministry.

12. Anthony Thomas candy tours
1777 Arlingate Lane
Columbus, OH 43228
614-274-8405
Free Open House Factory Tours are every Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30 am. to 2:30. In about an hour, tour groups can experience candy making from start to finish in our 152,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art candy factory. Opened in May 1995, it is conveniently located off I-270 in west Columbus, Ohio. I'm thinking they get crowded around Valentine's Day, so beat the rush and go in January or March.

13. This one was listed in the paper, but must be a mistake--the museum website said it is only open April through mid-December. The Dispatch reported that Jackie Kennedy's dolls were there. Mid-Ohio Historical Museum, 700 Winchester Pike, Canal Winchester, Ohio -- "Memories," dolls from the Jackie Kennedy Onassis collection; antique dolls and toys, such as the Stallsmith collection of china dolls; dolls from the 1800s and early 1900s; playroom from the 1950s; docent-led tours by appointment; closed on holidays and holiday weekends; $3 (614-837-5573). Call to be sure, maybe the website hasn't been updated and the Dispatch is correct.