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“Conspiracy theory’ is a term that strikes fear and anxiety in the hearts of most every public figure, particularly journalists and academics. Since the 1960s the label has become a disciplinary device that has been overwhelmingly effective in defining certain events as off limits to inquiry or debate. Especially in the United States, raising legitimate questions about dubious official narratives destined to inform public opinion (and thereby public policy) is a major thought crime that must be cauterized from the public psyche at all costs…CIA Document 1035-960 played a definitive role in making the ‘conspiracy theory’ term a weapon to be wielded against almost any individual or group calling the government’s increasingly clandestine programs and activities into question.” – From CIA Document 1035-960  

“We’ll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false.”-- William Casey, Ronald Reagan’s first CIA Director (from Casey’s first staff meeting, 1981)

By press time, it might well be that everything there is to say about Prince had been said, and then some. Forgive me though, if I take a couple of minutes to talk about not the performer, but about his favorite instrument, a knock-off Fender Telecaster.

There is a movement on to educate the world that Prince was not just a pop star, but a great guitarist as well. Even a cursory look around the internet should convince you of the truth of this. Of the live footage out there, perhaps the most stunning is his solo on “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” at the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame ceremony inducting George Harrison. Yowsa. What are these wild and strange blues, and why are they emanating from a guy who is famous for smoothly produced pop music?

Two things.

Used Kids is no longer on the OSU campus. Used Kids moving to Summit/Hudson is momentous because the record store was the last visible bastion of campus counter-culture. I feel bad for the students. Sometimes it seems like OSU doesn't like music.
 

The second was that I missed the Vic Mensa show at OSU. I saw Big Sean last year, and it was pretty amazing. He rocked with complete emcee dominance to 6,000 kids with the use of a band and deejay.

I guess it just depends where you stand.

Used Kids' relocation mostly seems inconvenient to people living in the dorms, given there are several venues and record stores off-campus. But since I don't live in the dorms, Used Kids moving doesn't really affect my life. They're moving to the area where Rhumba and Wild Goose are, so I feel like new experiences will occur.

Weirdo well-established solo electric guitarist Buckethead could easily run for president this year. He's got gimmicks galore--let us count the ways we saw at his recent sold-out, truly standing-room-only Woodlands show:

1) The upside down KFC 36-piece bucket atop his head. This has been one of his two standard trademarks since his coming on the scene nearly a quarter-century ago. An upside down KFC 36-piece bucket? Why, that's nearly as brilliant as your own obnoxious reality TV show which appears on your presidential candidacy resume. Buckethead wouldn't fire you, though, he'd instead ask you to pile your KFC skins farther away from him--integrity of piles, you know.

We are back talking about Columbus police wearing body cameras and placing cameras on patrol cars, so we can catch the rare instance when a cop goes wrong, publicize it and get justice.

No doubt there has been wrong-doing by police elsewhere in the country and one bad cop is one too many, but ...

We need to think long and hard about the additional pressure we would put on Columbus' Finest by forcing them to record every moment on patrol. Will they be forced to stop and think about the ramifications of the camera instead of acting quickly to fight crime?

Does that have negative consequences for the public?

If we are going all in on cameras for cops, why stop there?

Why not require all public employees wear cameras and record their workdays?

It might cut down on wrong-doing and waste of public money.

Better yet add elected public officials to the camera-wearing menagerie.

There would not have been any Redflex skullduggery if Columbus city officials has been wearing them when those red-light camera deals were made.
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On Wednesday, May 3 supporters of Palestine from across the state testified before the Ohio House Government Accountability and Oversight Committee in opposition to House Bill 476, bipartisan legislation that would prohibit state agencies from contracting with a companies or individuals who are boycotting Israel or divesting from Israel.

“We are opposed to HB 476 because it violates our free speech,” said Don Bryant from the Cleveland area, one of the 14 who testified. “To outlaw BDS is to outlaw a non-violent form of resistance against the oppression of the Palestinians.”

BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) is an economic strategy for pressuring Israel to end its occupation and colonization of Arab lands in Palestine, dismantle the Gaza Wall, and recognize full equality for Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel.

On April 25, 2016 the NAACP Columbus Unit and Columbus City Schools (CCS) sponsored a Community Education Forum at The Neighborhood House, Inc.

At the start of the meeting the community was informed that the CCS district mission is to “Ensure that each student is highly educated, prepared for leadership and service and empowered for success as citizens in the global community.” To achieve this mission, the CCS focuses on three key principles: 1) That each student reaches their full potential to continue education, serve in the military, go to college, start a business, enter the workforce as lifelong learners. 2) That the district create a safe student centered, innovated learning that recruits, develops and retains world class talents. 3) That the district is accountable to our community and to our customers and that we’re confident in the district in maintaining itself through strategic, responsible, and transparent leadership.

Shadowbox Live has staged several music retrospectives that were both entertaining and enlightening. The result is that troupe patrons have a leg up anytime the conversation turns to Joe Cocker, Pink Floyd or even the Beatles.

With its current musical revue, Front Street Funk, the emphasis is more on “entertaining” than on “enlightening.” I can’t say I walked away with much new insight into the genre that gave “Papa” a “Brand New Bag.”

Then again, that could be partly my fault. Maybe I missed some of the information the show doled out between tunes because I was so busy tapping my foot, watching fellow patrons dance and, at one point, actually dancing myself.

Yes, you heard that right: Audience members were dancing. One thing that distinguishes this show from its predecessors is that Shadowbox sets aside floor space for patrons who can’t resist the call of the syncopated beats, wah-wah guitars and joyous horns.

Kona Grill aims to please their customers with their agile menu adaptations to suite specific, avoidant requirements and still provide a splendidly satisfying dining experience. If you enjoy being transported to the tropics in atmosphere and flavors, Kona’s spectrum of sensory offerings is the place for you. They surpass their conventional dining service level peers by offering a clearly identified vegan and vegetarian menu for their patrons, which is (surprisingly) still an uncommon feature of most mainstream restaurants. I enjoyed an appetizer of vegan sushi and meal of specially requested grilled vegetables, with tofu and macadamia nuts.

Calling itself Columbus’ Green Renaissance Network, Saturday April 23, marked the “Earth Day BirthDay” of Columbus’ newest Low Power FM Radio station, WGRN-LP 94.1. Victoria Parks, volunteer programmer for WGRN, answered some questions for the Free Press giving us the skinny on WGRN:
FP: Where can our community tune-in to WGRN-LP and what is Low Power FM radio?