Local
As I demonstrate in previous essays, the “city” of Columbus, Ohio and The Ohio State University are two peas in a decaying pod. (See references below.)The intertwined failings of the two disorganized, anti-constituent, private-profiteering, anti-public institutions are symbolically and practically encapsulated in the purposeless, falsely-named University District Organization. The UDO, as it calls itself (but does not pronounce out loud at least in my hearing), is the illegitimate creation of the two. It is no more than an offense to members of both communities.
Artistic. Natural. Gracious. Eclectic. Loving. Intelligent. Courageous. Adventurous. What other adjectives might describe Angelica Warren? With her passing on September 2nd, she’s now the stuff of legend, or at least she should be.
Angelica – Angel for short – might have been your typical Millennial. A free spirit who challenged authority. But any vision of a normal life became colored by the worst possible diagnosis: brain cancer. For the last 15 years, terminal illness transformed a beautiful young woman with endless possibilities into a debilitated, housebound patient. Was Angel content with this fate? Frankly, No. But she defied the odds. Considering her journey, she was one special Angel.
These memories make this clear.
Many thought leaders now recognize that incremental reforms, although useful, are not sufficient to propel the radical changes needed to transition to a future that avoids catastrophic climate chaos. As noted earlier, the poly crises we now face — income inequality, global warming, nuclear war, etc. are symptoms of the economic globalization that has emerged in the last 50 years. Corporate oligarchies now effectively “rule the world” with international trade agreements designed to manage the neoliberal order.
For the first time, after more than a century, Columbus will vote for district candidates in November. But as activists have repeatedly argued, there’s nothing district about it. Candidates must live in one of the nine geographically designed districts as each has roughly 100,000 residents. However, the November 7 vote is citywide, and representation will remain “at-large.”
“If it were just my district to win I’d have a huge chance of winning,” said City Council candidate Adrienne Hood who’s running in District 4, which includes large swaths of the Northside, parts of Clintonville, North and South Linden, and also the street where undercover Columbus police shot and killed her son.
Last decade, three citizen-led initiatives sought true districts, also known as wards, through the ballot, but all lost. In 2016, Issue 1 was championed by the group Everyday People For Positive Change. They were soundly defeated by Columbus voters after a $1.1 million corporate-funded ad campaign by City officials.
Saturday, September 30, 9am-12:30pm, North Broadway United Methodist Church, 48 E. North Broadway
Join us for a seminar on small actions you can take to care for the Earth.
Lunch will be included; giveaways will be provided by our exhibitors!
Event Overview
8:30am: Doors Open
• Exhibits with complimentary beverages
9am: Welcome
• Welcome Message
9:15am: Opening Session
• “Uncomfortable Choices: Climate Justice for Generational Thriving,” with Dr. Tim Van Meter, Methodist Theological School in Ohio
10am: Breakout Sessions
• “Columbus Recycling and Composting Trash,” with Areyh Alex from Sustainable Columbus
• “Being a Green Church,” with Rev. Phyllis Fetzer
• “Clean Energy Tax Breaks and Grants from the new IRA [Inflation Reduction Act],” with Mike Holm
• “Living more Sustainably,” with Mariellyn Grace
11am: 15-Minute Break
11:15am: Breakout Sessions
• “Greenspot: Practical Tips for Individuals,” with Shanikka Flinn and Dave Celebreeze from Sustainable Columbus
Thursday, September 28, 6pm, The Royal Oak Initiative (ROI), 80 Parsons Ave.
This location is across the street from Upper Cup Coffee at 79 Parsons Ave.
Join us for a community forum and art workshop to demand we legalize abortion once and for all!
Hear from leaders in the movement fighting for reproductive justice at the ballot box, in the prisons, and in the streets! Engage in block printing, collaging, coloring, and drawing in our art workshop as we create pieces of art in support of the movement for abortion.
Masks will be required and will be provided; refreshments will be provided.
Hosted by PSL [Party for Socialism and Liberation] Columbus.
Human history is all-too-full of ghastly acts of cruelty and torment. They are our ultimate downfall.
But 80 years ago, the people of Denmark—-often a great personal risk—-saved some 8,000 Jewish Danes from occupying Nazi murderers.
On October 1-- 1943’s Jewish New Year-- Denmark's King and its underground resistance helped mobilize the nation to ferry nearly all resident Jews to safety in Sweden.
The story is complex, but among the most moving and powerful in the annals of our species.
Hitler’s Wehrmacht had occupied Denmark in 1940. Recognizing the Germans’ overpowering might and love of slaughter, the Danes watched the Nazis march into their country with little violent resistance.
Conversely, Hitler desperately needed Danish agricultural supplies. The result was an uneasy coexistence. Alone amongst the countries he occupied, Der Fuhrer abstained from slaughtering en masse the country’s Jews, who were generally well integrated into Denmark’s social mainstream.
September 27, 2023 @ 7pm
Zoom
Free Registration: https://www.asmp.org/ohiovalley/event/freelancer-pay-protection/
Host: American Society of Media Photographers, Ohio Valley chapter
ASMP Ohio Valley will host a Zoom panel discussion September 27, 2023 at 7pm on the new Freelance Pay Protections rolled out by Columbus City Hall this year. Attendance is free.
I've never dabbled in stock trading, but after watching Craig Gillespie's "Dumb Money," based on a remarkable true story, I regret sitting out of the 2021 GameStop frenzy. During that pivotal moment, a pack of average Joe's flipped the script on Wall Street, turning GameStop, a declining company, into a cultural phenomenon.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Keith Gill, known as "Roaring Kitty" on the WallStreetBets subreddit, invested his life savings in GameStop stock. As his posts gained traction, what began as a simple stock tip evolved into a David vs. Goliath movement, enriching millions until the billionaires fought back.
This tale of disruption in the financial world, sparked by a band of Redditors, highlights the influence of social media when a group of people are united for the same cause. Craig Gillespie captures the highs and lows of trading during that period. Especially when Robinhood (a trading app) suddenly restricted its users from buying GameStop stock. Gillespie sheds light on a world grappling with isolation, economic disparities, and rising social movements.
The GOP-controlled Ohio Redistricting Commission voted to adopt Statehouse district maps that tip the scales for Republican candidates and solidify GOP majorities in both chambers. The two coalitions, Equal Districts and Fair Districts condemn the latest political power-grab by both the Republican and Democratic members of the commission.
“Politicians are getting in our way,” said Molly Shack and Prentiss Haney, Co-Executive Directors of the Ohio Organizing Collaborative speaking on behalf of Equal Districts. “It has become obvious that we cannot trust politicians to deliver the fair maps Ohioans deserve. We must remove politicians from the process and give power back to the people. We look forward to making that change by amending the Ohio Constitution in November 2024.”