The secret storm

by M. Stewart
Both local newspapers carried stories today on Judge C. Ashley Pike’s issuance of a temporary restraining order prohibiting public access to documents related to contract negotiations between the East Liverpool teachers union and board of education.

Morning Journal reporter JoAnn Bobby Gilbert filed a request last week with the board of education to view "written records, notes, memos, proposals or other documents" associated with a Nov. 12 meeting between the union and the BOE. Gilbert’s request prompted the union to seek the restraining order from Lisbon. According to today’s MJ story, the ELEA’s attorney “claim[ed] the documents . . . were exempt from Ohio’s public records law” and that “the information would cause ‘irreparable’ harm to the teachers by violating the teachers’ rights under the contract and state law.”

Naturally, one cannot help but wonder how access to these documents would cause “irreparable” harm to our teachers. What did they say during those negotiations that was so heinous? What don’t they want us to know?

The public access issue involved here is tricky because it involves information about employee negotiations, which are typically not open to the public. Add to that Judge Pike’s gag order on the board and the ELEA, and you’ve got a pretty tight lock on the information flow.

I’m not surprised JoAnn Bobby Gilbert attempted to gain access to the documents. Nobody does that part of the job better than Jobob, and she knows more about public access law than most. I do wonder, however, whether the company will push the issue after the 14-day restraining order expires. My take on Ogden Newspapers has always been that journalism and principle are not business priorities. Perhaps they will surprise us.

Any way you cut it, the ELEA looks bad. Regardless of the law, public employees who go that far to keep secrets from taxpayers have some explaining to do. As such, this publication supports the Morning Journal in its attempt to gain access to these documents. Taxpayers are anxious to know what our employees so desperately wish to hide from us.

New life, new tools

by M. Stewart
A week ago, The Review ran a story on a recent graduation ceremony at East Liverpool’s NewLife Academy—a story I didn’t see until today. Normally, I wouldn’t have much to say about a routine graduation story, but I am intrigued by the educational model established by NLA founder/president Craig Newbold.

Newbold is in the unique position of not only operating a forward-looking educational institution, but doing it with a sincere and practical mission of community revitalization. From what I’ve seen, Newbold and NLA are exactly what East Liverpool needs.

I won’t reiterate the information given in the story (read it yourself here), but I would like to thank Mr. Newbold for bringing his energy, talent, knowledge, and good will back home. Here is a guy who made a good living elsewhere and very easily could have—like so many others—never looked back. His investment of capital and energy in this community is only beginning to be felt.

As I’ve said in the past, I believe East Liverpool is on the verge of reinventing itself for the new century. With continued growth and cooperation of Kent State East Liverpool Campus, the BOSS cyberschool, NewLife Academy, and other forward-looking institutions, the city is poised for a slow but steady cultural and economic rejuvenation. It will take some time to get beyond the well-entrenched gaggle of nay-sayers and do-nothings that have held our area back for decades, but no one can stop ideas and creativity—especially when people are in place to turn ideas into action.

We at Ohio River Life intend to be a part of that action. As such, we are working hard to organize a community of writers, artists, and educators eager to help release the creative energy of our time in this place. Many of us have gone away and returned. Others have found their way here from distant lands. Some are still trying to find their way. The important thing is that all our paths have crossed here, and here is where we intend to make our stand against ignorance and inertia. Trust me; this web site is just the beginning.

If you think my optimism and rhetoric a bit highfalutin and far-fetched, please do everyone a favor and step aside. You’re in the way. This truly is an exciting time to be alive, and we dare not waste the opportunity to make something of it. So let us congratulate Craig Newbold and his organization not only for what they’ve accomplished, but for what they will accomplish. Let’s support all those men and women in our midst who have their eyes firmly fixed forward, willing to challenge the status quo and make new life with new tools.

The Beaver River

Railroad bridge spanning the Beaver River at Rochester, Pa. Look for new stories here at ORL this afternoon. Click to enlarge (Stewart)

Steelers must plan for next year

by M. Stewart
Regular readers will note that I stopped writing about football several weeks ago. I did so not because the Pittsburgh Steelers were having a lousy season, but because the topic didn’t seem to interest readers much. Well, interest or no, I’m bringing back football to ORL as of today.

After Sunday’s 27-0 defeat at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens, the Steelers have hit bottom. I agree with Bob Smizik of the Post-Gazette. This is no longer about a championship team with bad luck and a few head problems; the Steelers truly are a bad football team. The following observations are shared by many:

Since the first few games of the season, head coach Bill Cowher has clearly been emotionally disengaged on the sidelines. No spitting, no screaming, no jaw. The guy just stands there like he’s not even watching the game. I’m certain this will be Cowher’s last year with the Steelers. Much has been made of his North Carolina “dream home” and his refusal to discuss his future, but when management looks back on this disastrous season, it will be the poor coaching that counts. For whatever reason, Bill isn’t into it anymore. He’s done a good job in Pittsburgh for a long time, but when you lose interest, it’s time to move on.

The Pittsburgh running game is a joke. Of course, Willie Parker is going to break some runs and look good now and again, but he’s not the kind of back who can carry the team. Jerome Bettis and Willie Parker, yes, but not Parker alone. I don’t even know who the other running backs are this year. It really doesn’t matter.

The defensive backfield is among the worst in pro football. As such, most teams have thrown the ball at will on Pittsburgh all year, and they will continue to do so until better players arrive. Cornerbacks Deshea Townsend, Ike Taylor, Bryant McFadden, Anthony Madison—this crew makes mediocre quarterbacks look great. The only reason they made it through last season was that other teams had yet to figure out Pittsburgh’s linebacking scheme. Pressure on the quarterback took pressure off the cornerbacks. This year, teams have watched enough film to pick up the Steelers blitz and give QB’s time to exploit the weak secondary.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has had a bad year. He leads the league in interceptions and has been a model of inconsistency. TV announcers continue to gab endlessly about the motorcycle crash and appendicitis, but I think Ben’s problem goes deeper. First of all, his receivers are weak. Hines Ward seems to have lost a step or two since last season, and Cedric Wilson just isn’t very good. Santonio Holmes may end up being a decent receiver, but there is no sign of future stardom. Tight end Heath Miller has the best hands of the bunch, but the coaches rarely call his number. Go figure.

Secondly, Ben may not be as good as people think. The jury is still out, of course. He deserves a year or two more to prove himself. No question the guy has the talent and the tools, but you can’t let a quarterback get beat up like that week after week and expect him to develop properly. There is no such thing as a good quarterback without a good offensive line.

Speaking of which, this season also has shown the offensive line can’t play with good defenses. The line played so badly against Baltimore that midway through the third quarter I started thinking Pittsburgh might want to forfeit the game just to keep Roethlisberger from getting killed. Trooper that he is, Ben refused to say anything bad about his line after the game, but he didn’t need to. This offensive line is terrible. Not only do they not protect the quarterback, they are unable to open running lanes for Parker. If you can’t pass protect and block, what good are you?

Special teams have sucked all year, but that’s almost a Pittsburgh tradition. I haven’t looked at the numbers, but it seems to me that the Steelers have had bad field position all year long. TV announcers tell us every time Chris Gardocki punts that he’s never had one blocked, but he sure doesn’t offer much in the way of hang-time and distance. On special teams it’s all about fundamentals—blocking, tackling, running, kicking, catching—and Cowher has not been able to establish a special-teams discipline in Pittsburgh.

Wow, what else is there? The Steelers are a team in big trouble. They are weak at far too many positions to remedy with a good draft. If there is a coaching transition (and I’m certain there will be), fans are most likely in for a few lean years. The organization is strong, however, so I don’t look for anything like a complete breakdown. Assuming the new head coach will be a strong leader with a plan, the down time might be minimal. We can only hope.

U.S. Steel

The U.S. Steel Building (center) in downtown Pittsburgh. Click to enlarge (Frye)

Why do they (still) hate us?

Editor’s note: In the weeks and months following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, a common impromptu lesson in American public school classrooms centered on the question, “Why do they hate us?” While it’s impossible to know how those thousands of discussions came out, one might assume that most teachers fell back on President Bush’s simplistic, face-saving explanation: that the terrorists envy our freedom. In one of the great ironies of history, the federal government responded by ignoring the Constitution and instituting policies that diminished our freedoms in the name of homeland security. The terrorists, so it seemed, had succeeded. Five years and two wars later, we are still asking the same question: Why do they hate us? When it comes to international hatred, there are no easy answers, but as long as Americans continue to see themselves as innocent victims, the truth will remain elusive.
___________________________

by Ali Erritouni
When Muslim terrorists attacked New York and Washington D.C. on Sept. 11, 2001, their barbarous acts came as a shock to us. Many of us couldn’t understand why anybody would hate us so much that they would kill themselves in order to hurt us. While we were pondering the taproot of that atrocity, our president came to the rescue. Fearful that we might stray into dangerous territory, he explained, “They hate what we see here in this chamber—a democratically elected government. . . . They hate our freedoms—our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech, our freedom to vote and assemble, and disagree with each other.”

This explanation was simple and reassuring: it sought to prevent us from delving into American foreign policies and, therefore, from discovering some unpalatable facts about them; it spared us the arduous task of researching history books and recognizing that our continuous support throughout the 20th century of vicious dictatorships in the Middle East, South America, and Asia had little to do with freedom; and it helped us overcome the trauma of the attacks by making us feel good about ourselves: we are superior, rich, and, above all, free, and that’s reason enough for other people to envy us and wish to cause us harm.

The terrorist attacks were criminal and immoral. Yet to say that the perpetrators of those crimes killed themselves and three thousand people in the process just because they hated our freedoms is simplistic and dangerous—simplistic, because it reduces complex political motives to quasi-religious explanations, and dangerous, because a world where people fight over irreconcilable world views and beliefs can never experience peace. If, in the words of Rudyard Kipling, “East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet,” then the Muslim East and the Christian West will keep fighting each other until the end of time—an event likely brought about by some nuclear holocaust.

I will not get into the political grievances that motivated the 9/11 terrorists. But I will share with you some incidents that have happened recently and that have made many people in the world “hate” us. By so doing, I hope to draw your attention to the fact that our government and corporations have done a good deal of harm in the world, so much so that people not only in the Middle East but also in Mexico, Europe, and South America may feel justified in giving us tit for tat. The CIA calls this desire for revenge “blowback,” making it clear that terrorist attacks against Americans may be a counter-response rather than an unprovoked aggression.

Because its victims are almost always innocent civilians, terrorism can never be justified; however, it is vital that we understand that the barbarism of international terrorism is largely a response to the barbarism of American foreign policies. We need to reject Bush’s explanation of the motives behind the events of 9/11 and behind other terrorist atrocities because, unless we understand the real reasons that drive people to hate us, we will not be able to remedy them and to create a more peaceful world. In fact, blinded by an arrogant sense of self-righteousness, our government and corporations continue to abuse other people, oblivious to the possible consequences of their actions on all of us.

• The 20th Century Fox movie Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan has so far made over $70 million; yet, some of the Romanian villagers featured in the movie were paid between $3.30 and $5.50. Even worse, lacking any human decency, the producers of Borat cast the unsuspecting villagers in unflattering ways in order to force laughs out of us. Nicolae Staicu, a Romanian community leader, complained that “[t]hey took one of our 75-year-old ladies, put huge silicone breasts on her and said she was 47. . . . . [O]ne of our men who is missing an arm had a plastic sex toy taped to his stump." The moviemakers also had a woman put her cow inside her house where they made it defecate and urinate. Associated Press William J. Kole reports that “[r]esidents and local officials in the hardscrabble hamlet 85 miles northwest of Bucharest said Tuesday they were horrified and humiliated to learn their abject poverty and simple ways were ridiculed for a movie now raking in millions at box offices worldwide.” The vilified villagers come from Glod, an impoverished Romanian village, which lacks basic modern conveniences such as indoor plumbing and running water. As if their circumstances were not difficult enough, our movie industry must make exorbitant profit out of them and, to add insult to injury, mock their poverty.


• The U.S. has vetoed a draft United Nations Security Council resolution condemning the Israeli attack on Beit Hanoun, Palestine, which killed 19 Palestinian civilians, mostly women and children. It’s not the first time our government makes it clear to Arabs that their lives are worthless. In his recent book Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid, Jimmy Carter deplores Israel’s daily violation of the Palestinians’ basic human rights. He also argues that our overt and tacit support of Israel’s confiscation and continued occupation of Arab lands is bound to intensify anti-Americanism in the Arab World.


• Mexicans complain that the low cost of Wal-mart’s products in Mexico City have bankrupted small farmers and public markets. However, despite their complaints, Wal-mart, given its political and financial clout, will continue to do business as usual.


• According to the UN, the civil war in Iraq has claimed the lives of 7,200 people in the last two months alone. It does not take much brain power to realize that before the American invasion, there was no civil war; that after the invasion, a civil war started between Shiites and Sunnites; and that the invasion is consequently responsible for the civil war. Yet, this very simple syllogism seems too difficult for our corporate journalists to grasp. Ralph Peters, USA Today journalist, opined that we have offered Iraqis the opportunity to become democratic, but they have squandered it: “we did give the Iraqis a unique chance to build a rule-of-law democracy, [but they] preferred to indulge in old hatreds, confessional violence, ethnic bigotry and a culture of corruption.” Peters goes on to say that "it's their tragedy, not ours.”


• Aside from their lack of human decency, people like Peters never seem to learn from history. If we leave Iraq to its fate, it would be only a matter of time before their tragedy becomes ours as well. Peters seems to have forgotten about our experience with Afghanistan. After the Cold War, we left that country mired in armed conflict, poverty, and tribal politics. 9/11 is partly the outcome of that lack of vision.


• Here is a humane and, as it happens, a realpolitik solution to the Iraq war: The U.S. government should 1) get American troops out of Iraq immediately; 2) convince the Iraqis, through diplomatic channels, to come to the table and to devise political rather than military solutions to their differences; 3) give Iraqis enough money to help them rebuild their country. (In a more just world, we should pay Iraqis billions of dollars in restitution for the damage we did to their country.)

Wellsville Room VII

Shatna Go-Go

by Brian DiTullio

After missing it last week, I finally was able to watch Show Me the Money airing Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC In a word, I'd have to classify the new game show as "interesting." Another phrase that comes to mind is "over the top," but it only touches the surface of this "Deal or No Deal" and total kitsch hybrid. There are dancing girls, bright lights and--you guessed it--William Shatner.

You can't go wrong with The Shatner. He's the perfect host for this tribute to cheese. He stopped taking himself seriously years ago, and his delivery is just plain funny. That slow, halting, overly dramatic speech pattern of The Shatner is one of the main components of this show, but like any prime time game show, it's the contestants that make or break a particular installment. Of the contestants on the show I've seen so far, they appear to be chosen specifically because they're more than willing to make complete fools of themselves.

Scantily clad dancing girls is never a bad thing, but I'm not sure if they're trying to channel Laugh In or Benny Hill. Either source is perfectly acceptable when you get down to this level. I'd call "Show Me the Money" unwatchable if it weren't so intentionally bad. In fact, the campiness makes it fun to watch. I won't go so far as to call it "appointment viewing," but it definitely is a viable alternative to the endless parade of "CSI's" and "Law and Orders" shoved down our collective throats.

Around the Dial:
Ghost Hunters. This Sci-Fi show that follows a group of paranormal investigators continues to provide the best in unscripted fare. The group flew to Ireland to investigate Top of the Leap castle--one of the most "active" places the group has ever been. It was compelling viewing.

Daybreak. Watched a few minutes of this show and then decided to wait for the DVD. The premise is Groundhog Day with a murder involved," and I don't know if I want to invest myself in a show like this unless I know there's an ending coming.

Eureka. Sci Fi ran an all-day marathon of this show on Thursday. I couldn't get myself fully into it, but I did watch a few episodes. The premise is an FBI agent is made sheriff of a small, Washington state town that is a cover for top secret government projects that delve into the paranormal. It's aimed at the X-Files crowd, but I thought the writing was pretty weak and the characters a little flat.

At the Theatre:
Casino Royale. Hands down the best James Bond film since Sean Connery wore the tux. Daniel Craig is absolutely brilliant as the super spy in his first mission. Designed as a reset of the franchise, Casino Royale follows James Bond on his first mission after being promoted to "double-O" status.

The action is a perfect mix of stunts and fights only slightly over the top--and I mean that in a good way. The dialogue was very fresh and engaging, something I think was sorely lacking during the Roger Moore and Timothy Dalton films and only slightly better during the Pierce Brosnan run.

The plot is the most realistic plot for a James Bond movie in ages. It simply is about a French terrorist financier named Le Chiffre, who makes sure bad guys have somewhere to launder their money. When he loses a ton of it because of James Bond, he arranges a high-stakes Texas hold-em game to win the money back. There are, of course, beautiful women, fast cars and betrayals aplenty. The tux is in good hands and I can't wait for the next Bond film now, it can't come soon enough.

My James Bond actor ranking:
1. Sean Connery
2. Daniel Craig
3. Pierce Brosnan
4. George Lazenby
5. Roger Moore
6. Timothy Dalton

My top five James Bond films:
1. Goldfinger
2. From Russia With Love
3. Casino Royale
4. Thunderball
5. Live and Let Die

The Two Worst James Bond films:
1. Moonraker
2. License to Kill

Brave New World of fMRI

by Liz Lundberg
Most of us from time to time will admit to feeling as though the world is spinning out of control with no end in sight. Chemistry and technology have extended our lives, expanded opportunities for material gain, and opened us up to a world of ideas and expression delivered at the speed of light. At the same time these things also have strained our values and turned the private and personal into the public and political. But just as we struggle with the moral, ethical, and social challenges of this new world, we can thank science once again for authorizing a new perspective, one that will help us eliminate complications caused by values and institutions we no longer need.

I’ll bypass the history of medical and psychological applications and fast-forward to the Holy Grail of neuroscience: knowing what people are really thinking—mind reading. Advances made in the study of the brain will enable us to understand the nature of subjectivity. The mapping of our thought processes through functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) could reconcile some of our big contradictions. This technology is already revealing things about us that we wouldn’t willingly share with others or are not aware of ourselves. It already tells us what regions of our brains are active in response to more and more complex stimuli.

It won’t be long before fMRI will be able to completely bypass the deceptions of language and reveal our genuine, unedited thoughts, values, and feelings. Undoubtedly this access to the self will modify our present understanding of morality and ethics. A more objective reality will prevail, and a new truth will level the playing field. There will be no more issues of trust and control. Private thoughts will be a thing of the past.

Have some fun. Google the term “brain scan” and you’ll see what I mean. At the risk of attempting to predict the future, the whole idea is so novel that I haven’t gotten past my own imagination as far as the consequences. All I can see is positive stuff happening. Let me, therefore, head off into science fiction and speculate on some of the fun changes I foresee.

The Kiersey–Bates personality assessment will become obsolete; students will just have brain scans to evaluate aptitude for trades or professions. “Brain prints” will determine whether people can be trusted when applying for jobs. Out with the drug test, in with the brain scan!

We may learn that certain behaviors we consider taboo have an active and uninhibited life in the gray matter of most of our population. We may wind up liberating some institutions we once thought immoral and condemning some that we will discover detrimental to our well- being. For the first time we won’t be guessing, at least not the way we are now. We’ll have some solid evidence with which to answer pressing questions.

For example, what motivates someone to be a political conservative and liberal? Does the gay brain work differently than the heterosexual’s? How about the brains of men and women? If it’s all in our heads, can we solve our differences at a deeper level? Will we even have as many differences once we weed out the liars from positions of power? Is there any way to get beyond the adversarial nature of debate, and does it only hinge on honesty and altruism? How important is deception to human communication?

And what of mental health? Instead of treating addictive, depressive, and other social maladjustments after the fact, brain scans could anticipate and flag their development among the predisposed. Standardized prevention through personal or institutional models could be prescribed for such individuals. There will be less intervention by expensive drugs and more environmentally proactive responses to variations in behavior. New therapeutic strategies for all sorts of potential scenarios could be developed; ones that don’t require twelve years of medical school.

As the implications of fMRI technology come into focus, you and I will be compelled to represent ourselves authentically on a personal level (a tall order for the highest- functioning deceivers on the planet!) For the first time in history each and every one of us will have to face our motivations before we act. That’s a humbling thought. I suspect we’ll start out by screwing up a lot more than getting it right. We’re going to have to apologize and forgive each other ad nauseam, until it’s not even a conscious thought. Imagine how much faster communicating will be once all of the guilt and lies get tossed out like old underwear.

And if we still experience difficulty in an interpersonal relationship, we might head out to the counselor for “a scan” to get beyond the power struggle and to the source of a conflict. The absolute certainty of one objective truth prevailing over two subjective cases would lead to swift resolutions with no more wondering if it’s going to work, return to marital bliss, or move on to amicable divorce. And nobody’s wrong: it’s only brains doing their job protecting their subjects.

In ten years people will be purchasing mini-scanners on key chains that they can hold up to the head of anyone they are chatting with. Imagine purchasing a new car with your mini- scanner:

You: Is this offer really below wholesale?

Dealer: Uh… (red, green, blue, yellow pulsations in lower left frontal lobe.)

Imagine the elimination of so many social, economic and political institutions once corrupted by liars and deceivers. We’d have far fewer domestic problems. Leaders (and they would be real leaders) would be free to devote themselves to relieving some global problems. That’s what I was thinking of before, about what we might be able to “get our minds” around.

We’d have to give the scientists something to do with the free time on their hands. Maybe they could focus on either proving or debunking the existence of pseudoscience such as telepathy and psychic powers, and possibly revaluating others--like phrenology. For now I’ll ignore the dystopian novels of Huxley and Orwell. Instead, let me bask in my own Brave New World, where none are more equal than others.

Happy Thanksgiving!

by Connie Carmichael.

E. Dickinson

To be alive -- is Power --

Existence -- in itself --

Without a further function --

Omnipotence -- Enough --

Ohio's smoking ban

by M. Stewart

Questions have arisen in our comment pages over Ohio’s new smoking regulations. I had planned to look further into it, but I see where the Morning Journal already has.

According to the MJ’s Tom Giambroni, “the ban prohibits smoking in public buildings and any place of employment, and these places are required to post no smoking signs and remove ash trays of any sort. This includes taverns, restaurants and those for-profit private clubs with employees.” The smoking ban goes into effect on Dec. 7.

As I understand the ballot issue language, no one can be forced (by employment or patronage) to be in a smoking environment in a building of public access. As such, there will be no smoking allowed in public access buildings, regardless of whether a building is privately owned and operated. The issue language seems to allow for designated smoking areas in certain types of businesses.

The following is the Issue 5 ballot language:

• Prohibit smoking in public places and places of employment;
  Exempt from the smoking restrictions certain locations, including private residences (except during the hours that the residence operates as a place of business involving non-residents of the private residence), designated smoking rooms in hotels, motels, and other lodging facilities; designated smoking areas for nursing home residents, retail tobacco stores, outdoor patios, private clubs, and family-owned and operated places of business;
  
• Authorize a uniform statewide minimum standard to protect workers and the public from secondhand tobacco smoke;
  
• Allow for the declaration of an establishment, facility, or outdoor area as nonsmoking;
  
• Require the posting of “No Smoking” signs, and the removal of all ashtrays and similar receptacles from any area where smoking is prohibited;
  
• Specify the duties of the department of health to enforce the smoking restrictions. Create in the state treasury the “smoke free indoor air fund";
  
• Provide for the enforcement of the smoking restrictions and for the imposition of civil fines upon anyone who violates the smoking restrictions.
  

According to the newspaper, County Health Commissioner Bob Morehead is clueless about how to enforce the new law, so at least for a while, we can expect violations to occur routinely in places where the business owner chooses not to enforce the smoking ban. I assume that departments of health—even ours—eventually will develop plans of enforcement, and once people and businesses start getting fined, we’re likely to see some groaning and protests.

The fact is the vast majority of Americans do not smoke, so such laws seem sensible to me. Smokers need to realize that their addiction is no longer an acceptable public behavior. Think about it; no one would expect addicts of any other drug to be permitted to force innocent bystanders to share their drug experience. Why should smokers?

When I started college in the 1970s, students and professors were permitted to smoke during class. As you might imagine, the sealed classrooms were filled with smoke. Those who didn’t smoke were forced to sit in a literal cloud of second-hand smoke to get their education. It seems strange that this was ever permitted.

Of course, those were different times, and most people didn’t complain, but the world has changed—I think for the better. Smokers know their habit is a bad one, and they should recognize the new law. It's no longer merely a matter of ethics.

Because he did it

by M. Stewart
Responding to widespread negative reaction, Fox network chief Rupert Murdoch cancelled plans to air the two-part O.J. Simpson special scheduled for next week called If I Did It. The book deal has been scrapped as well.

No doubt realizing that Fox could ultimately lose money due to viewer backlash, Murdoch on Monday pulled support for Simpson, calling the project “ill considered” and apologizing to the Goldman and Brown families. Uh huh. Right.

Murdoch’s apology to the families of the murder victims rings hollow given that Fox already made the investment and pulled the show only because of the negative outcry. So let's not be fooled. The decision to cut and run was a purely economic one, as was the initial decision to develop the project.

Although bad taste is nothing new to network television, Fox is by far the worst offender. That Murdoch would even consider such a project, let alone go so far as to produce the show, speaks volumes. Let’s put it this way: If pulling the show was connected to any moral or ethical concerns, it would have been done a long time ago. It’s all about money, and therein lies the problem with everything.

So I’m not about to commend Fox for its decision to pull its newest version of The Simpsons. Murdoch is no White Knight here. What I will do is commend all of those (like Connie Carmichael) who made the effort to protest Murdoch’s sinister plan to give Simpson this perverse platform in the first place.

Is this a dagger I see before me?

by Connie Carmichael
Is this a dagger I see before me,
the handle toward my hand?
--Macbeth

The Tragedy: act II, scene iii . . .
in which we find O.J. Simpson ready to collect $3.5 million for a book deal. The book has O.J. telling us how he would have killed his ex-wife and Ron Goldman if he had been the real murderer. This is a hard scene to play, because O.J. (the real killer), must pretend that he is not the killer and then tell how he would have been the killer.

Fox will help O.J. hawk his book by sinking to an all time low (even for them) when they broadcast a two-part interview with O.J. on Nov. 27 and 29. The holiday entertainment just gets better every year, doesn’t it?

People who know O.J. Simpson say he wants the world’s attention, that he is an egomaniac who craves the spotlight, that he has no conscience. I have to agree with most of the negatives that are stated about O.J.; however, I do have a slightly different view concerning his conscience.

We have been recycling this tragedy for many years, and I believe we do that because O.J. replays it constantly. I think he lives it every day of his life. I think the violent manner in which he killed his victims has left a stain on the Earth that O.J. can never wash away. But he believes that he must keep trying to get rid of it and that is his curse. His victims are not gone and they do not rest and he cannot bury them. He will be forever standing at the edge of the stage in the footlights asking the audience to believe that he is innocent so we can help him bury his victims.

He is screaming and howling and crying over the dark night of his soul because somewhere he knows that this is his lot and his curse. He’ll never escape it, not even death wipes away the imprint we leave in the universe. Maybe someday O.J. will realize that we are not the audience he should be playing to. But, until then, the show must go on . . . bravo!

Performing Arts Center

The Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center in Midland, Pa. This is a very nice place! Click to enlarge. (Stewart)

East Liverpool's Casa D’Emanuel

by Matt Handley
One of my earliest memories as a child is my parents leaving me at home with a babysitter to go out to dinner at “Fiorello’s.” I remember asking my parents why I couldn’t go and them telling me, “You don’t wanna go there; it’s just a little hole in the wall.” Well, as I got older and began looking for places to eat and take my wife and family, it became apparent that those “holes in wall” were the best places to eat. There are very few places in area where a person can go and have a nice meal and enjoy a glass of wine, beer, or mixed drink short of driving to Boardman or Robinson.

Lucky for us, this “hole in the wall” is still around and, and it remains the best place in the area to eat. In 1999, Fiorello’s changed it’s name to Casa D’Emanuel. It’s located on Mulberry Street in the East End of East Liverpool. Family owned and operated, Casa got its name as a tribute to the local family that operates it today: “House of Emanuel" is named after the owner’s father.

Not much has changed beyond that over the years. It’s still a place where a family can go and enjoy a great meal. Arriving on any given weekend or weeknight, there is the possibility for a wait, but it’s well worth it. The waiting area is small but there is nice access to the bar where you can order a drink and enjoy great conversations with the personable bartenders.

The menu consists of great Italian cuisine. I have yet to order a meal there and not be completely satisfied. The house salad and rolls are to die for and many people go there for that reason alone. The wait staff is friendly, and I can say with confidence that the owners would accept nothing less.

The interior of the building provides evidence of just how long this building has stood—nearly 100 years. Beginning as “Mackey’s Bar,” it became “Fiorello’s” with new ownership. The interior walls of the building have a “wavy” appearance that has everyone asking what happened to them. It’s always fun to hear people try to explain just why the walls have that appearance. My personal favorite is that the building is located so close to the railroad tracks that years of running trains have weakened the walls. I do not pretend to know the truth, but if there is a hole in any of those walls, it’s the best “hole in the wall” in East Liverpool.

If you haven’t been to Casa D’Emanuel, it is well worth an evening out. Invite some friends, have a drink, enjoy a good meal, and be pleasantly surprised. I have no ties to the management nor have I even spoken to them. My intention in this and future “local gem” posts is share my own experience and discoveries.

As residents of the Ohio Valley, we have a lot to complain about, but if we ever want to be part of the solution to some of the areas problems, we have to begin by patronizing local businesses and keeping our hard earned money in the area, and by that I don’t mean merely East Liverpool. In future post, look for reviews of restaurants, businesses, and other “gems” in Wellsville, Calcutta, and the entire Tri-State Area.

Looking at the future

The view south on state Route 7 in Wellsville. Click to enlarge. (Stewart)

The critical mass

by M. Stewart
From what I read in today’s newspapers, Baard Energy officials presented little in the way of new information Thursday about the coal-to-liquid-fuel plant proposed for Wellsville, but the very fact that a formal event was organized to present the plan to the public is a significant step toward realization. According to The Review, “officials” say that the new facility has a 99 percent chance of being in full operation by 2012. Those are pretty good odds.

I was particularly pleased to note that Kent State East Liverpool Dean Jeff Nolte was on hand to assure company CEO John Baardson that the campus would develop an appropriate academic program to help local residents qualify for employment at the proposed plant. Not only that, the paper reported that Nolte and Wellsville Superintendent Rich Bereschick already have discussed working together on the educational front. While this might seem like a small gesture, it speaks volumes to me; it represents the kind of cooperation required to make good things happen in our area.

Because of the many recent industrial proposals that have failed to leave the drawing board, I suppose we have a right to remain somewhat skeptical about mere talk, but for some reason I have a good feeling about this one. Even though the new coal conversion plant will provide just 200 permanent jobs, an investment of this magnitude has the potential to bring a small village like Wellsville back to life in a big way. The plant also will force completion of the port authority’s intermodal infrastructure in Wellsville, which is certain to facilitate even more commerce.

More than ever I am convinced that Southern Columbiana County sits on the brink of an economic revival. Assuming that this coal plant isn’t a pipe dream and that the projects currently on the table in East Liverpool find their way to reality, our area may soon reach that all-important critical mass of activity that spawns continued growth.

My optimism comes not only from announcements of intent, but also from what I see as a new spirit of cooperation between our existing institutions. My friends, it’s time for everyone to become part of the solution. Let’s get to work.

Wellsville Room VI

Obviously, the 356 Bar & Grill in Wellsville, Ohio. Click to enlarge. (Stewart)

Politics at the edge of the world

Editor’s note: ORL is pleased to welcome Ohio Valley native William Whitaker to its electronic pages. Born in East Liverpool and raised across the river in Chester, Will has written for The Review and The Arizona Daily Wildcat. Currently living and working in Tucson, he is studying postmodern American fiction and creative writing at the University of Arizona.

by William Whitaker

Welcome to politics at the edge of the world. This election season in southern Arizona was a wild one, and the blood from contentious campaigns is still flowing through the dry beds of the Santa Cruz and Rillito rivers. The only thing that stemmed the violence was John McCain’s intervention. In Arizona, McCain has supplanted Christ as the Almighty Son of Man, and he’s not real keen on political pissing contests in his home state.

If nothing else, this election served to assert Tucson’s identity. This is still the Wild West, and any attempts to make this city more cosmopolitan are futile. We are not suffering under the same delusion that Phoenix is. Phoenix fancies itself to be the cute younger sister of Los Angeles: a little wild, a little slutty, but someone you can take to a cocktail party and not feel ashamed of. Phoenix has VD and lies about it. Tucson is the girl in leather who smokes in the bathroom between classes and who dates a 29-year-old biker. Tucson is the girl who spent some time in juvie for stabbing her mom’s boyfriend, and elections foreground the identity of a place like no other event.

As I watched the other-worldly commercials of candidates gussied-up in boots and hats and gaudy belts and heading to the border to make promises about illegal immigration and drugs, I developed a persistent headache—congressional hopeful (and object of a moderate crush) Gabriel Giffords (right), toeing a line in the border sand with her snakeskin boots, and congressional hopeful Steve Huffman crouching down in the desert at night with a flashlight in his hand, presumably preparing to bludgeon a drug mule.

Sometimes I fear Arizona is just steps away from an all-out war with the Mexican state of Sonora. Certainly the closer one gets to the border, the more it resembles images of Gaza: the Border Patrol checkpoints, the National Guard. Across the desert, on the Mexican side, one occasionally sees convoys of Mexican troops in the backs of ancient trucks. After being consumed by this, I began to miss Ohio.

During my time as a reporter, I suppose I got to know Ohio Governor-elect Ted Strickland pretty well. I interviewed him countless times and picked his brain about issues. I will not speculate as to what kind of governor he will become, for I don’t know what kind of resistance he will face from a legislature that has, for years, been willful and unproductive. But Ohio is in a unique position to effect national change—and I’m not talking about partisan change.

Pretty much everyone on both sides of the aisle in Ohio agrees that Gov. Bob Taft was a disaster. He nearly bankrupted Ohio townships; he allowed public education to devolve into a terribly inappropriate joke; he fostered a culture of indolence that’s going to take a lot to fix. That kind of overwhelming agreement between Dems and the GOP could be vehicle for change.

The big issues that will face Strickland are jobs–most especially in the eastern part of the state–and education. Strickland is aware of the importance of the Ohio River to the economic resurgence of the Ohio Valley, and that’s reason to be optimistic. Rather than focus his energies on a district, however, he will have to broaden his scope to encompass a whole suffering state, and so I’ll not be so brazen as to say that river commerce will save the Valley from ruin.

Here’s something to cheer you, though: Strickland really, really dislikes the WTO–a group that has probably done more, without knowing it, to damage the Ohio Valley than anything ever has. Because Strickland is most passionate about education, Ohioans can expect big, big changes in that area. Look for this to be a hot-button issue—one over which he is most likely to lock horns with the legislature. And why not? After all, Columbus has allowed Ohio’s school funding structure to flounder illegally for years, and Taft did nothing to address this issue. In a long list of failures, that may well have been the biggest.

Instead of spreading monies around to districts with genuine need, he hung his hat on the Ohio School Facilities Commission–an agency that did nothing but circumvent a major problem and mire much-needed funding in a bureaucratic cesspool. Instead of just giving desperate districts cash that is rightfully theirs, the state dangled it like a carrot and forced them to ask unwilling constituents in depressed regions to pony-up millions of dollars levies. If you think the Ohio School Facilities Commission is a useful organization, you ought to have a conversation with someone in the Beaver Local School District—that is, if they are all not hospitalized after being beaten to death at the polls more times that they can count.

It has pained me to not be in Ohio during this time of transition. I cannot gage public sentiment from 3,000 miles away, so I’ve had to rely on the Internet. From what I’ve read, there’s a lot of enthusiasm, and that is the best kind of fuel. Living in a free society is hard work. Democracy is powered by the idea that every citizen will get involved and stay that way. People in other states notice what goes on in Ohio, and if Ohio can walk out of the fog of political apathy, perhaps others will follow.

Early evening in Marietta, Ohio

Named after Rufus Putnam, one of the city's founders, Putnam Street runs from Harmar Village, across the Muskingum River to downtown Marietta. Click to enlarge (Frye)

Pizza party?

by M. Stewart
For what it’s worth, I’ve been following reports of the controversy at the county jail regarding the planned “pizza party” for Saturday’s Ohio State v. Michigan football game. Sheriff Dave Smith is against the party because it “sends the wrong message to taxpayers.” Jail officials disagree.

In the big picture, I agree with Sheriff Smith in his opposition to “coddling” prisoners. As he said, they are there to be punished for breaking the law. However, county jail isn’t exactly the Big House, and serving pizza during a big football game the prisoners are permitted to watch in the first place doesn’t seem like a big deal to me. It could be that this issue has been publicized a bit more than necessary.

Since the county jail is a privately operated facility, this sort of thing falls outside the range of Smith’s authority, so he can use the issue to appear tough on crime without having to deal with the actual prisoner population issue, so you can’t blame him for working the angle. The sheriff is, after all, an elected official.

Prison authorities understand that you have to offer the inmates at least a little enjoyment. It’s not as if we put these guys in stocks or chains. They are incarcerated as a means of keeping them away from the general public; they’re not there to be tortured or deprived of any and all life activities. I would imagine that even in maximum security prisons, there are parts of the inmate population permitted to watch a big football game to boost morale and help maintain order.

The reality of jail life goes beyond mere quips about punishment. Officials have to manage a population of generally undesirable people, and there is more to management than merely tossing them in a jail cell. Before you get the wrong idea, I’m no liberal when it comes to crime and punishment—far from it. Still, you have to wonder if this issue hasn’t been blown out of proportion.

ELO teachers non-strike room

"We love our kids. We love our kids," said one teacher after the ELEA decided Sunday night not to go out on strike today. So it's business as usual in the schools this week. Or is it? Perhaps now it's time to reflect on the strike that never was. What damage has been done? Or do we all just need a break from all this? If the discussion here and the talk I've heard around town over the past months reflect public opinion, there is a huge gap between school and town people that isn't likely to go away overnight. Will we let the wounds heal, or will they continue to fester? One thing is for sure, we should all be happy about averting what would surely have been a very damaging strike. But where do we go from here?

ELO teachers strike room

Once upon a time Central High School symbolized East Liverpool's commitment to serious, high-quality education. The razing of this building signaled the end of the city's Golden Age and the beginning of a long economic and cultural decline. Responding to a reader's request, ORL offers this room for discussion of the pending ELO teachers strike, which is set to begin Monday morning. Last minute talks between the teachers and the board are scheduled for today. Anyone with reliable, accurate information regarding those talks and/or the pending strike is encouraged to post it here as it becomes available.

I Was Your Child

by Connie Carmichael

I was your child
when I fell down in blood and sand,
when strange winds from the east
blew cold dust
through the hole in my brain,
when I was left with frozen hands
reaching for the sun to wave goodbye.
I was your child
when I waited for you,
here in this place
where the dead still walk,
where sorrow still lives,
where I was sent to die.
I was your child,
the one you should have tried to save.
America, I was your child,
and you sent me to an early grave.

____________________

Editor's note: The photograph above was taken by the poet in Wellsville, Ohio. Can anyone identify it or name its location?

Black bug on leaf

Although "black bug on leaf" describes this great photo by Liz Lundberg, surely someone can come up with a better title. Any ideas? Click to enlarge.

This week in the Middle East

by Ali Erritouni

• The recent sentencing to death of Saddam Hussein is probably the only good thing that has come out of the American invasion of Iraq. It seems this decision put an end to the strongman’s heroics and antics. Gentle Saddam has become conciliatory, calling on Iraqis to stop fighting each other. His ordeal must have tampered with his memory and played havoc with his bravado. But his newly acquired mousiness does not fool anybody.


• In a more just world, Bush and Company would also stand trial for lying to the American people and for causing the death of thousands of Iraqis and American soldiers.


• One thing is for sure, though. His Texan machismo has taken a hit in the aftermath of the recent election. At last, poor Bush is listening to the American people: He has fired strongman Rumsfeld. While he is at it, I suggest that he fire Cheney and Rice. Based on the results of the recent election, I have no doubt that he would be respecting the will of the American people if he fired himself as well; thus, he would spare us his stammering gibberish for the next two years. I doubt he’ll be able to make any significant policies for the next 2 years, anyway; the Democratic win has castrated him.


• Mubarak, the corrupt president of Egypt, is warning that the killing of Saddam may trigger more violence in the Middle East. What he failed to mention is that he is fearful the violence may end up engulfing him and his corrupt counterparts in other Arab countries.


• The Saudi ruling class may not like Saddam, but they also have reason to worry about the implications of executing an Arab leader.


• Silly Mubarak and the Saudi Royal Family! They should not worry. All Bush’s rhetoric about bringing democracy to the Middle East is drivel. They’re our buddies—as long as they don’t cross us, we don’t care what they do to their people—so rest assured, Mubarak and Saudi Royals, the American government will always stand by you against your people.


• Have you heard of the recent massacre in Beit Hanoun? I didn’t think so. The victims were Palestinians, and the murderers were Israelis. So why would we care! According to The Guardian—an English daily—on Wednesday, an Israeli bomber—supplied by the U.S.—dropped a bomb on a residential area killing 18 women and children. Ehud Olmert, Israel’s Prime Minister, blamed the atrocity on “technical failure.” But this is not the first time Israel deliberately targets civilians and kills Palestinian children. For a detailed record of Israel’s crimes against Palestinian civilians, see Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, and for gruesome pictures of Palestinian toddlers and their mothers with bullets through their heads, go to Al-Jazeera website.


• In six days ending on Wednesday, the Israeli Army killed over 50 Palestinians, including children and women, destroyed 40 and damaged 400 houses. One Israeli soldier died.


• More than 360 Palestinians were killed in the last 5 months as a result of Israeli attacks on their country. To my knowledge, not even one Palestinian suicide bombing took place in the last year.


• Of course, if the Palestinians were to seek revenge and sent a suicide bomber to Israel, it would be all over the news: “Crazy Arabs hate peaceful Israel”; “Fanatic Arabs want to destroy democratic Israel!” History for our media starts only when Israel is attacked.


• Suicide bombing is immoral and criminal, but so are the daily atrocities that the IDF commits against the Palestinians.


• Only our government can solve the Arab-Israeli conflict, but it has to be fair-handed.


• This month promises to be as murderous for Iraqis and American soldiers as October was. Already 26 American soldiers have met their untimely death. The stated mission(s) of the invasion have all predictably failed. Therefore, how long will it take for Bush and Company to save our troops from more unnecessary death? As for the hapless Iraqis, I can only hope that, with the departure of occupation forces, they would come to their senses and learn to live peacefully with each other.

DiTullio on TV (V)

A treatise on creating dramatic tension and holding an audience
by Brian DiTullio

Lost. I've finally figured out what's wrong with the show this season; it's the pacing. Lost opened the season with a six-episode arc with the last episode airing next week. However, I realized that there only was enough story for three episodes. So instead of biting the bullet and advancing the story further, they decided to write three episodes of filler instead.

To compound this error, the writers have taken the concept of creating a strong bad guy that feels like a worthy adversary for the heroes and going too far with it. In any kind of serialized drama, the antagonist needs to be strong and intelligent; otherwise the hero defeats him without much effort, and it isn't very interesting.

In any kind of drama, the rising action features the bad guy gaining the edge temporarily in the interest of creating dramatic tension and instilling a real sense of accomplishment for the hero and the audience once the quest is over. This is to prevent the bad guy from appearing weak or foolish. For example, take any comic-book villain who is foiled every time he appears. If you deconstruct it, you can't take him seriously because he always ends up back in Arkham Asylum or Riker's Island. A good bad guy achieves small victories that set up an attainable goal that the hero must eventually foil.

On Lost, however, the opposite has happened. The writers’ attempts at making The Others worthy adversaries has ultimately been too successful. At every turn the crash survivors have been foiled, tricked, captured and humiliated. It appears that Sawyer and Kate—both self-trained survivalists who know how to kick ass—have repeatedly been hoodwinked by a bunch of bookworms who've led secluded, monastic lives.

By all rights half of The Others should be dead by now. Instead, Jack, Kate and Sawyer now are the ones who look weak and foolish. When the plot climaxes and the trio get their revenge, it will feel hollow and fake since it has now been well established these three can't take care of themselves when the stakes are high.

As another example, why do so many people root for the bad guy in horror movies? Because the bad guys are quickly established as the powerful ones who buck the system. Their victims already are just that, victims. They have no value other than gratuitous nudity and to raise the body count. The only two credible characters left on Lost are Locke and Sayid. To some extent, even Desmond can still be a viable character, but that just shows how much the show's creators have screwed up.

Stories that falsely strip their characters of all tools, armor, and weapons to reduce the conflict to pure mano-a-mano fisticuffs also ruin stories. Giving your hero fantastic weapons and then having them tossed aside or taken with little resistance demeans the hero and creates false or contrived tension.

A good example is Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome. Mel Gibson walks to Bartertown at the beginning of the movie armed to the teeth. He then immediately is stripped of all weapons and the film progresses as a game of wits. The movie lost me right there. If you're going to go to the trouble to arm your hero, at least have the decency to let those tools be used. I have more respect for a bad guy who shrugs off the weapons used against him than the one who faces an unarmed opponent by sheer happenstance.

Think of the movie Predator: Arnold and his team are armed to the teeth, but no matter how many bullets they fire, traps they set, devices they configure, it comes down to Arnold versus the creature with no tricks or guns. It's a much more satisfying journey for the viewer than the Mad Max journey because the predator has proved he's a bad ass against the weapons. Tina Turner just proved she knew how to look weird in a post-apocalyptic setting.

On Lost, the writers created the hatch, stocked with guns and rifles, and armed the survivors as The Others flirted around the outskirts. Despite this, every single encounter with The Others ends with the survivors effectively castrated and turning over their guns to the bad guys with no fight. To add insult to injury, it appears the only weapons The Others possess are the ones they took from the Survivors. Once again, I now respect the bad guys more than the good guys in complete defiance of the creators' intent.

This also has the effect of diluting my interest in the show, and judging by the latest ratings, I'm not the only one. This show is in trouble and the writers need to realize that creating dramatic tension involves more than just manufacturing cliffhangers; the audience must believe the good guys can win while still holding onto that seed of doubt that the bad guys just might come out on top.

Battlestar Galactica. Another stellar show this week, and not one bad episode this season. As much as I love BG, I was expecting a letdown after last week’s show. The evolution of Colonel Tigh's character in the wake of the occupation went down the natural road instead of taking a Star Trek turn back to the status quo. Bravo Sci-Fi channel and BG writers and producers! Too bad writing this intelligent can't be found on all network shows.

Heroes. Another week of continuous improvement. The writing has solidified since the shaky pilot episode, and the characters are now all solid. This episode definitely was a transition into the next plot arc, but it was well executed and succeeded in its job of fleshing out some minor characters without losing sight of the main plot. My only complaint is that this show is on network TV. As good as it is, I'm sure it's being held back in some respect due to network TV constraints.

Studio 60. I have a one-word review of this episode's plot: contrived. I have a simple phrase to describe the show's content this week: Beating the horse to death and then shoving it down our throats under the assumption we're too dumb to get the satire. This show needs help—and fast.

Dr. Who. Very entertaining and I'm told it only gets better as the season progresses (The show already aired its season finale in Great Britain).

SNL. The new cast continues to make solid shows, a vast improvement over the last few years of consistently poor shows. To clarify: No home runs yet, but several solid doubles and one triple.

Movies. Watched the original Saw for the first time on Halloween. For a horror movie it was pretty good. A little more psychological than I anticipated. Disappointed in Cary Elwes performance; I expected a lot more out of him. I plan to rent the sequel soon.

The Break Up was a lot better than I expected. Vince Vaughn basically plays the same character from Swingers ten years on and is very funny. Aniston is watchable, and there only are a few "chick flik" moments.

If you liked Fight Club, check out Green Street Hooligans. Any parallels between the two are good ones. Elijah Wood continues to prove he's more than just Frodo Baggins.

Soldiers and Sailors

The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Oakland. Click to enlarge (Stewart)

No interference?

by M. Stewart
Speaking to the Calcutta Chamber of Commerce Wednesday, Beaver Local Superintendent Willard Adkins said something rather strange. According to The Review, he announced that his district won’t take any East Liverpool open enrollment students in the event of a teachers strike in the city. But here’s the strange part: “We support East Liverpool teachers and won’t interfere,” he said.

While I understand that Adkins doesn’t wish to “interfere,” it strikes me as bizarre that the chief administrator of a neighboring district would publicly announce his support for East Liverpool teachers in a pre-strike negotiation atmosphere. Isn't that interference on another level?

I can’t help but wonder if East Liverpool Superintendent Ken Halbert would offer the same kind of support for Beaver Local teachers were they to threaten a strike. Perhaps Halbert should go on record saying that he supports those people who voted against the Beaver Local building levy. From the administration’s point of view, it’s not much different.

Adkins’s remarks were made as an army of substitute teachers and security forces head for East Liverpool in preparation for the teacher walkout scheduled for Monday. This situation is not looking good, folks. Let’s hope that the administration and teachers can pull something out at the last minute. Otherwise, things are going to get ugly.

Speaking of ugly, the Morning Journal reports that “[t]wo of the so-called “Jersey Boys” [have] pleaded guilty for their role in a daylight shooting in East Liverpool.”

The September 2005 shooting at the corner of McKinnon and St. Clair symbolized the problem we have here in town with East Coast drug dealers, but it doesn’t stop there. Earlier this week a bunch of kids apparently roaming the neighborhoods selling drugs fired a random shot from a pistol that whizzed through a private residence in town. The innocent people inside the house could easily have been killed. This was a local gang of morons, one of which was from Salineville.

I’ve said this umpteen times before: We absolutely must work together as a community to rid ourselves of this scourge of drugs and violence. Merely managing the individual incident is not good enough. City officials must recognize and attack the root problems of poverty and despair that breed this kind of behavior. If something isn’t done and done soon, all the good people of this city will be forced out. And then what will we have?

[Coming up at ORL—new stories from Brian DiTullio and Liz Lundberg.]

A big wave of change

by M. Stewart
While I expected Democrats to make gains in Tuesday’s midterm election, I am truly surprised by the extent of the sweep—especially at the local level.

For example, I expected Gary Williams to retake his seat on the county commission easily. I am also somewhat surprised at Jim Hoppel’s state-house defeat. I thought Linda Bolon’s “Pigeon Jim” appeal was so tasteless that voters would run from her in droves. Obviously, I was wrong. The anti-Republican sentiments were simply too strong. Within that context, Wellsville's Penny Traina showed extremely well in her loss to Republican incumbent Nancy Milliken in the county auditor's race. Wellsville people typically do not fare well at the county level.

It’s less of a shock to me that Chuck Blasdel went down to Charlie Wilson, simply because of the national implications of the congressional race. The majority clearly has rejected the agenda of the Bush Administration, and sending yet another supporter of that failed regime to Washington made little sense to a disenchanted electorate.

Of course it’s no surprise that Ted Strickland won the governorship. Ken Blackwell was a weak candidate, and his association with the worst governor in history, Bob Taft, was enough to shoot him down early. Let’s face it, if any state needs new leadership, it’s Ohio. Even if Strickland spends the next four years on vacation in the Bahamas, he’ll be a better governor than Taft.

I’m not surprised about the Beaver Local School District construction levy going down again. School officials are just going to have to face the demographics in the district. The elderly don’t support new school taxes, and there are a lot of old people in Calcutta who have no dog in that race. But I could be wrong in placing too much emphasis on the conservative elderly. Maybe it's time to look for other reasons for the continued defeats. Perhaps school officials should consider my suggestion of moving the proposed building project to Calcutta. It's worth exploring.

And I suppose it’s no surprise that the county sales tax went down again. The commissioners are going to have to make good on their threat to raise property taxes. As I have argued before, that’s not necessarily a bad thing in the big picture.

I saw nothing in the local online papers about the state issues. I’ll check those out later and amend this post when I do, or maybe someone who has more time this morning can fill us in.

Election Day

Third Street, Wellsville, Ohio as seen from state Route 7. Click to enlarge (Stewart)

Don't think, just vote

by M. Stewart
Do you believe. . . ?

• That life is sacred.


• That marriage is a sacred union between one man and one woman.


• That partial birth abortion should be banned forever.


• That parents have the right to know when their minor children seek an abortion.

If you believe. . .vote November 7th .... vote Republican.

Do you also believe that “our values” are being put to the test as the LIBERAL LEFT goes on the ATTACK? Liberal Democrats have teamed up with the likes of Michael Moore and politicians like Hillary Clinton and Ted Kennedy—pushing their Hollywood values on the rest of America.

Ok, before you all assume I’m off my rocker, I present this crap from a flyer I received in the mail as an example of why elections make me ashamed to be an American. That’s right, ashamed. I chose the flyer randomly from my pile; there are many others. Here’s one:

Mike DeWine is doing his job . . . protecting yours. I read further to find that Sen. DeWine is not only doing his job protecting my job, but that he is creating jobs too. Naturally, there’s no information about any jobs DeWine has created, nor is there anything on the flyer that's actually true. And you can forget the fact that senators can't create jobs in the first place. The only point to the flyer is that you see the words "DeWine" and "jobs" in one place. DeWine + jobs. DeWine + jobs. DeWine. Jobs. You are getting very sleepy. . .very, very sleepy. . .

One, two, three! Wake up!

Are you awake? Do you want some truth? Of course not, but I'll give you some anyway. Ohio lost 217,000 manufacturing and goods-producing jobs between 1997 and last year, and that includes $9.3 billion in average annual wages—the biggest losses of any state in the union. Ohio’s 15.7 percent decline in total average annual wages also ranked the state dead last.

But that’s not what Mike DeWine says, is it? In other words, he’s simply lying. He hasn’t done anything to create jobs. Far from it. That’s why there are no details on his campaign flyer. Details? We don’t need no stinking details. All we need is the lie. We love lies. It’s the lying season. DeWine. Jobs. DeWine. Jobs.

Every election we go through the same thing, and it gets worse each year. Somehow we Americans imagine ourselves as the world’s leading democracy, but what we actually have is a nation that mocks democracy by accepting the substitution of lies for truth, opinion for fact, and propaganda for politics. Folks, if this is democracy, maybe it's time to try something else. Any ideas?

Our elections should be the shining symbol of a free people, but reality tells a different story. We are asked to support candidates based upon nothing more than media propaganda. It boils down to which candidate can tell the best lies about his opponent, or which can exaggerate her own accomplishments most effectively.

The United States may be the only country on the planet where the presidential candidate with the most votes loses. We have grown so comfortable with lies that we no longer expect the truth. We won't tolerate it. In America, everything is a lie, and that's the way we like it.

Ok, but ashamed? Isn't that a bit strong? No it isn't. You bet I’m ashamed. And I don’t want to hear some mindless flagwaving drone tell me I should move to Iraq, Russia, or some other shithole country because of it. We all should be ashamed that we have allowed something as vital as electoral politics to be destroyed by the same propagandists who try to sell us beer, toothpaste, and cell phones.

As I type these words, some woman is leaving a message on my answering machine telling me that she bought drugs from someone on Sherrod Brown’s staff. I guess I’m supposed to think that if Brown is elected he will sell drugs in Washington. Really now, what am I supposed to think about this nonsense? Nothing, that’s what. I’m not supposed to think. I’m only supposed to vote. Don’t think, just vote. That’s American democracy.

I’m not yet to the point where I refuse to vote, but I can see it coming. Sooner or later every thinking person is forced to conclude that elections are designed for idiots only. So do I believe? Is that what you want to know? Do I believe? No. The answer is no. I do not believe. But I also know that giving up is not an option. That's exactly what the bad guys want. No matter how ugly or diseased things get, we must not give in to cynicism.

For now, I’ll cast my vote against the candidates of my choice, and that list includes all the Democrats and Republicans who have worked so hard to bring down American democracy. In fact, I’ve got a little memo pad I’m using to keep that list. So go ahead, call my home phone and bad-mouth your opponent. Send me flyers in the mail filled with lies and maudlin appeals. Keep trying to scare me with pictures of Ted Kennedy. Show me your disgusting TV ads. I’m watching.

Is that a spine in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

by Connie Carmichael
The Democrats are attacking the Bush administration like a pack of rabid dogs in pursuit of a rabbit. The rabbit, of course, is control of the House and Senate. I realize that since this is an election, both parties must follow the time-honored and noble tradition of trashing one another until there is nothing left but blood and guts. God bless America. So if the Democrats take Congress, will they keep this new spine they seem to have suddenly acquired, or will they turn back into the bowl of oatmeal they’ve been for the last six years?

I hope the Democrats regain control because Congress is supposed to be an independent branch of government, not lackies for George Bush. I hope they will have the guts to hold him accountable for an illegal war of aggression on another country. I hope they will dismantle the outrageous policies put in place by Bush & Company. One can always hope, but the Democrats will still be beholden to the corporate ties that bind, and it could be very hard to find a box of Wheaties amongst all the milk-toast.

But if these Democrats can keep their collective spines intact after the elections, regardless of the outcome, this country will be better served. We don’t need people who are in lock-step with George Bush or any other president. We need representatives who will fight for what is good and best for the people in this country, not for what’s best for the Bush and Chaney family coffers or the corporations they serve.

Election night itself should be very interesting, so let me finish with a quote from that grand old dame of the cinema, (and certainly no slouch in the spine department) Bette Davis.

“Fasten your seatbelts; it’s gonna be a bumpy night.”

Shadow play

A playground at Quail Hollow State Park near Hartville, Ohio. (Photo by Grayling Manson.)

CMHA

The view to the north from Jefferson Street in downtown East Liverpool. Click to enlarge. (Photo by M. Stewart)

Gay marriage, Christian-style

by M. Stewart
When Mike Jones, a man described as a “former gay escort,” surfaced on a Denver radio talk show last week claiming Colorado Springs evangelist Ted Haggard paid him for sex over a period of three years, national attention became focused on the good pastor and his 14,000-member New Life Church.

Mr. Jones said he came forward because of what he sees as Haggard’s hypocritical stance on the issue of gay marriage. Rev. Haggard’s initial response to the allegation was to deny it, but he also immediately stepped down as head of the New Life Church. The next day, a church spokesman told the press that indeed there had been “indiscretions.” Haggard now has admitted to purchasing methamphetamine and receiving massages from Jones, but he swears there was no sex.

Haggard expects his flock to believe that he sought out a male prostitute for the purpose of buying and using illegal drugs and getting a massage, but there was no sex. This looks like one of those Bill Clinton denials. What exactly do you mean by sex? After all, the anus isn’t really a sex organ, is it? Fellatio? It's just another one of those funny foreign words.

From my experience, the only people capable of believing this bullshit are Christian evangelicals. As such, this could be another case of Jimmy Swaggart syndrome, for which the cure is to appear in front of the multitudes and cry for hours on end, begging Jehovah and church members for forgiveness—all on camera, of course. In other words, instead of passing yourself off as a model of virtue, go ahead and embrace the role of repentant sinner. It worked for Swaggart. His television audience still sends him millions.

But not every man can cry like Jimmy Swaggart; it’s a special skill. So before Haggart proceeds with the standard cure, he’ll definitely need training. He can start right here. Through the magic of the Internet, we can all watch a small portion of the Rev. Swaggart’s initial 1988 on-screen tearful confession after he got caught soliciting prostitutes and collecting pornography—minor league stuff compared to the Rev. Haggard, who has admitted to taking illegal drugs and getting a gay massage. And it’s still early. God only knows what else will come to light.

To get some idea who Ted Haggard is, check out tedhaggard.com. If you’re expecting to see something about Jesus, you’ll have to look pretty hard. No, this is strictly a Ted-zone. One of my favorite parts of the web site is the “in the news” section. You won’t see anything there about sex, male prostitutes, and massages; instead, you’ll see a Time magazine article naming Ted as one of the world’s most influential evangelists. And then there is my personal favorite reprinted from the Colorado Springs Gazette:

“Ted Haggard sees things other people don't. He's seen angels and demons and blood on his hands. Sometimes, he sees things before they happen. While fasting and praying 18 years ago on the side of Pikes Peak, Haggard envisioned the church that would become the largest in Colorado, where believers speak in tongues and do cartwheels because they love the Lord so much—a place Haggard says he'll never leave.”

Ok, enough is enough. I’m not going to make fun of this Colorado Moses anymore. Clearly, he does a great job of that on his own. Nevertheless, I remain stunned at how human beings remain so desperate for someone to guide them that they willingly follow phonies like Ted Haggard anywhere they lead. Indeed the story of the Pied Piper offers great insight into human frailty.

The following is from Rev. Ted Haggard’s biography posted on his web site: “He graduated from Oral [oral?]Roberts University in 1978 and has received two honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees. He served as the American Vice-President for World Missions for Jesus, a German missions organization, and served as an Associate Pastor at Bethany World Prayer Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana [headquarters of Jimmy Swaggart Ministries], which helped him plant New Life Church in 1985. Haggard and his wife, Gayle, have five children.”

I guess Ted and Gayle give new meaning to the term “gay marriage.”

And by the way, while searching for a picture of former male escort Mike Jones, I kept running into pictures of a bling-toothed, narcissistic rapper with the same name. It turns out that this guy is more fun than the Colorado evangelist. Learn more about street hood/rap star Mike Jones here. Warning: Mr. Jones carries a lot of money!

Maxo Vanka (1889-1963)

by Connie Carmichael
Art washes from the soul
the dust of everyday life.
—Pablo Picasso

Once in awhile I spend the night at the Priory Hotel in Pittsburgh. This historic hotel used to be a monastery and has a quiet, relaxing atmosphere. It is a good place to go and recharge your batteries. On one of my visits there I went to visit the St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church in Millvale, Pennsylvania. I went there to see the paintings of Maxo Vanka.

I was not prepared for what I saw inside this magnificent church. The walls and ceiling are covered with murals. Some of these murals are not the traditional religious murals we are used to seeing, so if you want to see Jesus with lambs or Mary of the out-stretched arms, this is not the place. Artist Maxo Vanka let the religious icons out of the box and gave them a visual social commentary on the state of the world.

You will see Christ and the Holy Mother trying to separate two soldiers on a battlefield. There is the figure of justice with a gas mask on, holding the scales in which gold outweighs bread. There is a mural showing an American capitalist sitting at a table reading the stock market report. His dinner is being served by a black servant. Another panel shows a group of women weeping over the coffin of a dead soldier. The background depicts row after row of white crosses.

Maxo Vanka had already found fame as an artist in his homeland of Croatia when he emigrated to the United States in the early 1930s. At the request of Father Albert Zagar, Vanka was hired to paint the church. In the spring of 1937, he painted the first half of the Millvale church and returned in 1941 to finish his work. In all, there are 22 murals covering the walls and ceiling of the church.

We would not have this wonderful art to look at were it not for the courage of Father Zagar. I am sure there must have been more than a little outrage directed at some of Vanka’s murals. It is hard to imagine any artist being allowed to do paintings like these in a church today. They are spiritual essays on fascism, poverty, labor, and war that make use of religious icons to illustrate the human condition. A pacifist who served in the Belgian Red Cross during World War I, Vanka produced work haunted by the atrocities he witnessed.

Maxo Vanka drowned while swimming off the coast of Mexico in 1963. Since his death only a fraction of his work has been exhibited in the United States. If you make the trip to Millvale to see the murals of Maxo Vanka, you will never forget them.

Wellsville Room V

The Lisbon Street Bridge in Wellsville spans Little Yellow Creek just before it enters the Ohio River. Click to enlarge. (Photo by M. Stewart)

ELO Fifth & Walnut

Fifth and Walnut, East Liverpool, OH. Click to enlarge (Photo by M. Stewart)

Still more pigeon poop

by M. Stewart
Assuming the electorate needs another reason to stay home on Nov. 7, Republican Party Chairman Dave Johnson has filed a formal complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission against state rep. candidate Linda Bolon and the Ohio Democratic Party. Apparently Mr. Johnson is still frothing over the pigeons. Methinks he dost protest too much.

This race between Bolon and Jim Hoppel has become a complete joke. Apparently neither candidate has anything worthwhile to say, so the entire campaign has become a debate over pigeon shit at the county courthouse. If it weren’t happening right here in front of us, I’d say it was beyond belief.

I know Jim Hoppel, so let me use this platform to make a personal appeal: Jim, the party hacks are trying to make both you and Ms. Bolon look like buffoons. You need to grab hold of Dave Johnson and pin him to the mat. Tell everybody you want to spend these last days before the election focusing on what you stand for. Pay no attention to this pigeon nonsense and these fat-man cartoons. Most of all, show us you are not controlled by the party.
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Speaking of politics and control, let me take this opportunity to salute Morning Journal managing editor Dorma Tolson for refusing to toe the corporate line. Those of us familiar with the parent corporation know that her decision to endorse Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ted Strickland won’t win points with her conservative corporate masters, but this resistance to corporate control of the newsroom is necessary if journalism is to survive in our county. I am pleased to see that at least one of our local newspapers is willing to exercise editorial independence. (See the endorsement here.)

Given the fact that Ms. Tolson is one of two local newspaper managers who can claim the dubious distinction of throwing me out of the building in the middle of a work day, my largess in this matter is stunning, don't you think? : )
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Before everyone starts ragging The Review's Lucille Huston for her story on the Ed Wilson press conference, I want to go on record saying that I think the story is appropriate. The press conference did, in fact, "fizzle." In my view, Mr. Youngblood did not give Wilson supporters adequate information regarding the cancellation.

Everyone knows that I support Lt. Wilson in his quest for just treatment in the village, but that is the luxury of the columnist. Ms. Huston clearly was in hostile territory on Wednesday, and in light of her alleged or perceived pro-administration sentiments, she very well could have slanted her story. My only discrepancy with what she wrote is that by the time it was over, I counted 30 people, not the 20 she reported. Frankly, I expected more.

Given that the gathering was hastily organized for the middle of a work day, I suppose the turnout should not be surprising. If, indeed, there is another press conference (or whatever) in the future, I suggest organizers hold it on a weekend or early evening so everyone who wishes to attend can do so. Of course, it's always possible that support for Lt. Wilson is not as strong as some believe. I very much doubt that, but time will tell. In Wellsville, everything is always "going to happen." The problem is, it seldom does.