Local
Cheryl Shuman’s successful tour of Ohio to promote the Ohio Cannabis Rights Amendment, sponsored by the Ohio Rights Group (ORG), concluded in Cleveland a week ago with a segment by Lee Jordan on the city’s News Channel 5. Success becomes self-evident when the opposition appears, often in the form of the Drug Free Action Alliance (DFAA), which is headquartered on Huntley Road in Columbus. The segment, entitled “Northeast Ohio family seeks medical cannabis in Colorado to find effective treatment for seizures” and aired on October, 25, 2013, included several quotes from DFAA Executive Director Margie Seidel to rebut the use of cannabis for treating the devastating seizures experienced by Jordan Lykes who suffers from Dravet Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy.
In the first quote, Ms. Seidel states that, “Medicine goes through a very rigid process of study and research through the FDA, a revered system throughout the world." Really?
Many of these FDA approved drugs have proven to be harmful or even deadly. For example, in 2009, drug induced deaths, principally from otherwise legal opiates, exceeded deaths from motor vehicle accidents for the first time since such tracking began.
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For me one of the best things about going vegan was discovering Indian food. I had no idea what an amazing spectrum of satiety I was really missing for the first score of my life. Banana Leaf has been a most generous supporter of the Columbus vegan community, and they strive at empowering others. This month, they started a new program designed to help people eat vegan easily, simply, deliciously, healthfully and affordably. Monday through Friday after 4 pm, you can pick up some rice, lentils and curried vegetables (vegetable changes daily) for only $5. If you would like to know how to prepare Indian style food, they also offer cooking classes; their next one is Nov 24th. They are aware that socially just diners are concerned about making sure they get organic foods produced locally and are in the process of making those priorities part of their operations model. They do provide a variety of gluten free options in their breads and desserts as well. All food is made from scratch, fresh daily, and their regular customers know nothing goes to waste; any left overs are sent home with customers at the end of the day to share with their friends and family.
The Committee of Citizens Against Issue 50 & 51 will start open discussion and state points of correction for the education of children in the the Columbus City Schools district.
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Diebold: the controversial manufacturer of voting and ATM machines, whose name conjures up the demons of Ohio’s 2004 presidential election irregularities, is now finally under indictment for a “worldwide pattern of criminal conduct.” Federal prosecutors filed charges against Diebold, Inc. on Tuesday, October 22, 2013 alleging that the North Canton, Ohio-based security and manufacturing company bribed government officials and falsified documents to obtain business in China, Indonesia and Russia.
Diebold has agreed to pay $50 million to settle the two criminal counts against it.
This is not the first time Diebold’s been accused of bribery. In 2005, the Free Press exposed that Matt Damschroder, Republican chair of the Franklin County of Elections in 2004, reported that a key Diebold operative told Damschroder he made a $50,000 contribution to then-Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell's “political interests” while Blackwell was evaluating Diebold's bids for state purchasing contracts. Damschroder admitted to personally accepting a $10,000 check from former Diebold contractor Pasquale “Patsy” Gallina made out to the Franklin County Republican Party.
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Some things are just too good to let go. So with a nod of respect to The Other Paper and its annual Halloween masks, The Free Press is pleased to serve up City Council President Andrew Ginther as this year’s Halloween trick.
So what makes this an appropriate honor? Well, Ginther is a kind of modern day political Frankenstein … a Democrat on paper whose execution of office has distinctly Republican overtones.
What do we mean? – well, let’s consider ...
Corporate welfare
Republicans love corporate welfare, and so does Council President Ginther. The year was 2011, and the power elite of this community decided they no longer wanted to accept the money-losing consequences of the business risks they took in building an arena to house the Blue Jackets NHL franchise. So what’s a council president to do? First, meet in private for two years with representatives of this group of multimillionaires to figure out how to help them.Image
Last Wednesday I visited the Basement to watch Los Angeles Hip Hop producer/rapper Jonwayne and British electronic critical darlings Mount Kimbie.
Jonwayne came to Columbus just as his album “Rap Album One” is being released on Stones Throw Records.
Things I knew about Jonwayne: He came up in the L.A.
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I was born in Camden, Alabama, raised in Marion, Ohio where I attended school. Ran away from home with a friend to New York City at age 16 because the Beatles Let It Be was opening at a movie house on Broadway...we went to see it. Dropped out of school to go on the road with Ted Nugent as an opening act in Canada, moved there for about 3 years. Came back to the states to take my physical for the draft to see if I qualified for ‘nam. Failed…only weighed 97 lbs. I played in a bunch of bands, put out a truck load of records. Got signed to a major label, made no money, got happy, started more bands, made more records. My current band is Blues Hippy and the Soul Underground with Myke Rock on bass, Jimmy Johnson on drums and Dan Ro James on rhythm guitar. And rock ‘n' roll, along with love, still pumps oxygen in to everything that I do.
#1 Put together your fantasy band - it can contain any musicians dead or alive:
My fantasy band would run a line up something like this…Jim Morrison on lead vocals and slam wordist. John Coltrane shootin' up some space saxophone in to the arm of the studios' vein.
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What’s in a name?
I decided to ask 22-Year-Old Columbus Hip Hop artist P. Blackk aka Pro Blackk what it means to be Pro Black in 2013.
His response?
“The actual definition of being Pro-Blackk in 2013 or 2014 is being for your people. Having knowledge of your past. Being aware of who your oppressor or oppressors are. Honestly, my definition of being Pro-Blackk has always been me. I’m P. Blackk. Striving to get my ideas out there without being too influenced by the world around me.”
P.Blackk’s aka Pro Blackk’s October 2013 has been pretty productive in terms of getting his ideas out there.
Blackk released a self-produced EP “Two” on Sunday via http://pblackk.bandcamp.com.
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Get ready as the longest-running film festival in the US stretches out for two whole weeks this year in November. Starting on November 3rd with two workshops and sneak peak screening of a Silver Chris Award winner Chasing Water at the Peggy R. McConnell Arts Center of Worthington, the Festival officially opens on November 7th at the Gateway Film Center with a French film shot in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Co-sponsored by the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Beny: Back To The Wild tells the emotional story of Beny, an orphaned bonobo rescued by Claudine André, a conservationist who has dedicated her life to bonobos, our closest primate cousins.
On Tuesday November 12th Animations 4 Adults will screen at Brothers Drake Meadery. Ages 21 and over please for these cartoons from the UK, Germany and the US.
The Festival also travels to Studio 35 for LGBTFEST, the first of three nights of LGBT films at Studio 35, Wild Goose Creative and the Canzani Center at the Columbus College Of Art & Design.
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