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As American as...the Audion Piano?

Old timepiano

In last month’s article, I made the statement that the Electric Guitar is one of only two true American instruments, the other being the Sousaphone. Of all of the dumb things that I have said in print over the years, this one may have generated the most outrage. I was inundated with messages proposing (at times aggressively) other instrument candidates for Americanesedness. So to preserve my hard-won reputation for keeping an open mind, I have determined to explore the suggested candidates and rate them on a scale of 1-5 Bald Eagles.

To define American instruments, we must first define what “American” means.  Primarily to save space, I have decided to use the Drunk Republican Uncle on the Fourth of July definition: the original 13 states after George III got the heave-ho and the other states upon their admission to the Unionas states. That is, if Wyatt Earp invented a new type of trombone while U.S. Marshall for New Mexico Territory in 1878 he's out of luck.  

Without further ado, the candidates (in no particular order):

Who will reform those who have been tortured?

Person sitting with head in their hands

A joint report released in May by the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio (ACLU) and Disability Rights Ohio informed us that “Solitary confinement is torture” and that “ninety-five percent of people who go to prison are one day released back to their communities.”

The American Friends Service Committee reports that today there are more than 40 states that have super-maximum security facilities “primarily designed to hold people in long-term isolation.”

The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that ten years ago there were “more than 80,000 men, women and children in solitary confinement in prisons across the United States” and that “as with the overall prison population, people of color are disproportionately represented in isolation units.”

City Council Goes Crazy: New Charter Amendment Challenges the Status Quo--Executive committee of the bourgeoisie fear democracy may break out in Columbus

Many people holding boxes

After a five-year long struggle, the grassroots effort to give a voice to more Columbus residents will finally come to a public vote at a special election on August 2 this year. The charter amendment would expand Columbus City Council from seven to 13 members and include representatives from city ward districts. This would break the all-at-large, one-party Council system and make Columbus’ city governance comparable to other U.S. cities its size.

Grassroots groups had tried twice since 2011 to get the amendment on the ballot, but were stymied by what appeared to be politically-motivated maneuverings by the current powers at City Hall.

Represent Columbus is a coalition of Democratic, Republican, Green and Independent grassroots leaders. Building upon previous work by the Columbus Coalition for Responsive Government, Represent Columbus submitted 39,308 petition signatures to the Columbus City Clerk on May 3. The Franklin County Board of Elections determined that 19,035 of those were valid – 1,200 more valid signatures than the 17,780 required. City Attorney Rick Pfeiffer found the petitions to be “legally sufficient.”

Thomas Friedman Says Hillary's Lies No Big Deal

Most Hillary Clinton supporters, including Hillary, mostly spend their time talking about Trump, not Clinton, not Sanders, not what should be done in the U.S. government. But they don't try to articulate a defense for this practice. A couple of obvious reasons (which they would not want to articulate) come to mind: (1) Hillary is incredibly unpopular, (2) Talking about Trump fuels the pretense that the primary is over.

Ohio Peace Festival

People standing as a peace sign from a distance

Monday, June 6 to Tuesday, June 14, several locations in Central Ohio

We seek to celebrate and enhance understanding of diverse approaches to peace and community-building through politics, art, health, industry, and beyond. The Ohio Peace Festival is an annual event organized by the Ohio Peace Collaborative, a collective group of peace-driven individuals, organizations, non-profits, and companies within the State of Ohio.
Mission: To build unity through peace.
Vision: A collaborative world of peace, justice, and understanding.
Our values: Nonviolence, positivity, collaboration, and non-partisanship.
Events: See events listed below and at ohiopeace.com.
Contact: Ohio Peace Festival, 1501 Neil Ave., Columbus, OH 43201; or 614-327-8389 (voice/text) or 614-292-3810 (voice); or ohiopeacecollaborative@gmail.com
ohiopeace.com/

Ohio Peace Festival Events

Peace Film Festival Showcase

Tuesday, June 7, 6pm, Gateway Film Center, 1550 N. High St.

A Geek Speak summer schedule

Origins exhibitor hall

For many people, summer is a time for beach vacations and hiking trips. But for us, it’s convention season. And while some of Columbus’ regular cons are traditionally held in the off-season — Ohayocon in the midwinter cold, and Marcon over Memorial Day weekend — the next three months will keep us busy with gaming, cosplay and even the delightful smell of old paperbacks.
 

The biggest of them all is Origins Game Fair, which is coming to the Greater Columbus Convention Center from June 15th-19th. Origins is one of the biggest tabletop gaming cons in the country, and with exhibitors both big and small in attendance it’s a great place to see what’s available to play now and what’s coming soon. In addition to a gaming and panel schedule so dense it’s offered as a massive spreadsheet (with a door-stopper of a print version available at the show), this year they’re presenting the first Origins Film Festival, showcasing independent films related to sci-fi/fantasy and gaming.

 

Let’s hope the next sequel is ‘Alice Doesn’t Visit Here Anymore’

Mia Wasikowska as Alice in Alice Through the Looking Glass

Lewis Carroll’s beloved Alice has returned in a film that offers wondrous imagery but little else.

Alice Through the Looking Glass is the sequel to 2010’s Alice in Wonderland, which already was a sequel of sorts. Directed by Tim Burton, it imagined Alice as a teenage version of the young girl who once found herself in the eccentric world of the Mad Hatter and the Cheshire Cat.
 

Though admired for its surreal photography and characters, the earlier film was criticized for its ho-hum storytelling. Nevertheless, it was a huge hit, setting the stage for the current release.
 

Whether or not Looking Glass is equally successful at the box office, it’s sure to draw even more brickbats. Director James Bobin fills the screen with images as odd as anything Burton could have concocted, but the storytelling is blandly uninvolving.  
 

Set a few years after Wonderland, Looking Glass finds 20-something Alice (Mia Wasikowska) as the captain of the merchant ship her late father once helmed. Though it’s an unconventional career for a 19th century Englishwoman, she’s clearly good at it.
 

The Fresh Prince Of Midair’s Day At The Museum

Coffee mug that says Wisdom is something

I’ll admit it. I built this month around watching the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs while scrolling Facebook and IG on my phone.

1. I like the idea of LeBron coming home and getting the title more than I like the idea of him not winning the title and having to move. How heartbreaking would it be if he doesn’t get a title in Ohio?


2. LeBron is the co-owner of Blaze Pizza on Campus. Blaze Pizza is a pizza start-up that boasts LeBron James as an owner. It’s similar to Chipotle, Piada or Subway where  they make the food in front of you.


It differs from Subway, Piada or Chipotle in an important way for me. Blaze Pizza offers vegan cheese as an option with no extra charge. So when you watch the Cavs game while eating a pizza with a zillion toppings you can thank LeBron for going the extra mile if your vegan.


If you’re not vegan: I’m sure there is something special about the pepperoni, anchovies or whatever.


This is a left-wing paper. The above was a vegan paragraph.

Bad Lieutenant: Does the Franklin County Drug Task Force need further scrutiny?

Mug shot of disheveled white guy with long hair next to money and drugs

In a way, corrupt cop Tye Downard, along with his wife and children, are also victims of the war on drugs.

Islamophobia: Why are So Many People So Frightened?


Islamophobia has become a significant factor driving politics in many western countries.

Islamophobia – fear of Muslims – is now highly visible among European populations concerned about terrorist responses from Islamic groups claiming Jihadi links. However, it is also evident among those same populations in relation to the refugee flow from the Middle East. In addition, Islamophobia is highly evident among sectors of the US population during the presidential race. It is a significant issue in Australia. Outside the West, even the (Muslim) Rohingya in Burma are feared by Buddhist monks and others.

Given that this widespread western fear of Muslims was not the case prior to the US-instigated 'War on Terror', do Muslims around the world now pose a greater threat to western interests than previously? Or is something else going on here?

In short, why are so many westerners (and others) now frightened of Muslims? Let me start at the beginning.

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