Everybody survive tax day this week? I do mine online with Turbotax. Still robs me of too much time and exacts a bad cost in anxiety, even though it is almost free (except for the tax!) There has got to be a better way for us to pay for our government. Last week Leonard Orr told us that Ronald Reagan said that the entire revenue from all the individual and corporate taxes during his administration went to servicing our national debt. Catherine Austin Fitts calls it “tape worm economics”. See her views at solari.com.... Ellen
And... Do NOT miss the spring dance party at the Lloyd House, NEXT Saturday, 26 April. See details below.
Vacancy at Lloyd House, residential space, as of May 1! Check it out, in “announcements”.
..................................................................................
Salon Weekly
~ In 4 Color-Coded Sections:
- Table Notes
- Events & Opportunities
- Articles, Letters (“opinions expressed are not necessarily mine”...ellen)
- Books, Reviews, Films, Magazines
- Tri-State Treasures: events compiled by Jim Kesner
A Weekly Email Publication of The Lloyd House: Circulation: 613. Growing out
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(to unsubscribe see below, bottom of page).
................................................... Section One: Table Notes ............................................................................ (Note: these notes were taken at the table and have NOT been approved or corrected by the speakers. Reader beware of inevitable misunderstandings and misrepresentations. E.B.)
At the table Wednesday 4/16/08
Mira Rodwan, Rob Nendewaab, Janet Kalven, Mary Biehn, Derek Lester, Julia Yarden, Duane Shaw, Mr. G., Ginger Lee Frank, Carolyn Aufderhaar, Bill Limbacher, Ellen Bierhorst, Chris Metzger. Bud Kostic., Randall Ball
Ginger Lee read the Preamble.
Derek: propose time limited announcements.
Bill: I am moving in two weeks. On Woolper.
Mira Passover coming Sat. evening. Earth Day will be on April 22, Tuesday. At St. John’s UU church this Sun. Earth Day service at 11 am.
Julia Review your winter heating bill... Look for “e”, “estimated”. If so, call and get someone to come out and read your meter. Duke has a tendency to over bill on estimated. E.g. 300% error.
Carolyn California Woods is famous for its diverse wild flowers; this is the week.
Mr. G. On April 30 I am suing Duke at the Ohio Energy Commission. I’ve been getting a gas charge even though I have zero usage. It will be in Columbus.
Mira: Leonard Orr... Federal Reserve system. I never knew. Our banking system is locked up in the hands of a private, closed corporation, the “Federal Reserve” which is controlled by 11 wealthy families. It does not benefit the rest of us.
Sick Around the World on Front Line, PBS. Even better than “Sicko”. Everyone should see... We are 37th rated by World Health Org. ib overall quality health care. Infant mortality rates very bad. Taiwan, Switzerland, England all have better systems.
Chris Mrs. Edwards said neither McCain nor herself would be insurable under either McCain’s or Hillary’s health care plan. (because of cancer.)
Mira the supreme Court approved death penalty by lethal injection.
Mr. G. I am a big fan of FrontLine. They did a 2 hour program on 911. I thought it would change people’s religious beliefs. The theme was that religion was responsible for those deaths.
But nothing has changed! We are a nation in denial.
Chris I The Tipping Point. The story about Kitty Genovese getting killed on a Manhattan street, nobody called the cops even though they heard her calling for help.
Ginger in the last years there is a rash of books on atheism. ... Carl Rove admitted he was a non believer.
(Discussion of whether the US has a democracy.)
Bill I read a book a few years ago that showed that Europeans chose shorter work week, more vacation, but less pay. Here we chose to make more money. Now we work too many hours and still don’t make jack.
Chris. Generally we speak of democracy and capitalism in hushed tones; I suggest that there is very little capitalism or democracy in the US today. ... Today three hedge fund managers paid themselves over 3 billion each in profits. ... None of that money was made by putting anybody to work or making anything or providing a service. ... There is more money in “derivatives” than there is in stocks. Like puts or calls. Has nothing to do with production. (See in Articles section below the economist from Iran’s analysis of our “derivitaves” bubble and its dangers. Ellen)
Mr. G. it bothers me not that Baer Stern is being bailed out, but that I can’t get the information as to why their welfare affect all of us.
Ginger that’s not capitalism either.
Chris I have heard about “smart money” recently. A lot of smart money is in cash, money market instruments now. ... Openheimer is telling people that they will spread their cash to banks all over so that every penny is insured. People are scared.
Janet I don’t have a lot of experience in this. It’s been a long time since I’ve been employed. ... I was working for a university; I was a permanent part timer. I was there 14 years.
Bud I am an employer these days. It’s a game whether a person gets unemployment or not. If a person was incompetent... I give a person every chance in the world before I have to fire them. But if he keeps on screwing up I don’t think he deserves unemployment insurance. If someone chooses to leave on their own I don’t see that they should get any unemployment.
Ginger What if two employees who are screwing up; one is competent, one is just contrary. Any different?
Bud not really. ... I try to make very sure that a new person can do the job they are hired for.
Mr. G. there is an implication of “should”, of ethics regarding unemployment insurance. What and who should make the decision? The boss? Who should make the rules?
Duane I was just fired after 10 years. They decided I was incompetent. Fired me. So I am not eligible for any assistance of any kind. I went to a law firm ... It would have gotten expensive. They finally settled out of court for a very small amount.
Rob all this changed in recent times. “At will employment” means no rights as an employee. They can fire you for any reason they want to.
Randal The whole system is messed up!
Ginger: this society likes to punish.
(There was more talk but I ran out of steam note taking. Still recovering from auto accident on 3/23! Happy Passover everyone. Ellen)
~ End of Table Notes~
Hugs to everyone,
Ellen
Section Two: Events & Opportunities
TODAY: CINCINNATI GREEN SCHOOLS INNITIATIVE:
Tune in this Thursday, April 17th at 4:00pm for Roger Yeardley's Curved Air Radio Show on WAIF 88.3 FM. Bob Knight, CPS Sustainable Design Consultant and Ginny Frazier, Executive Director of ALLY, will be discussing the progress of CPS Sustainable Design Initiatives.
Also, check out this online article about the greening of CPS. http://www.soapboxmedia.com
Hope to see you Thursday, April 24th for our Celebration of the Greening of CPS.
Ginny Frazier
Executive Director
ALLY
513.541.4607
www.allyohio.org
IRAQ MORATORIUM
Neighborhood Peace Vigils
A nationwide campaign making visible growing opposition to the Iraq war & the desire for peace in all corners & all neighborhoods across the US.
WHEN: Every THIRD FRIDAY of the month 5:30pm
Upcoming dates: April 18, May 16th , June 20th, July 18th
WHERE: ALL over the city!!!!
Locations:
Winton Place: Corner of Froome & Winton, across from Gray rd.
Price Hill: Corner of Enright and W. 8th
Northside: Hoffner park, corner of Blue Rock and Hamilton
Clifton: Fountain in Burnet Wood, corner of Clifton and Ludlow
Mt. Healthy: Heritage Park, on Hamilton, right after Cross County
Northern Kentucky: Newport Peace Bell, 421 Monmouth St.
Anderson: Beechmont and Forest, in front of Stein Mart
Miami Township: Branch Hill Guinea Pike & Loveland Miamiville Rd (in front of Kroger)
It's time for April peace vigils! This Friday is the third of the month and the vigils will be in all the same locations as February as well as a NEW location in Miami Township! This month, because it's light so much later, they won't be candlelight vigils, but please still bring any approprite signs!
For those of you who might not have read this years "Best of..." issue of City Beat, these vigils were names the best new anti-war initiative. So congrats and thank you.
http://www.bestofcincinnati.com/urban.html
Also, a HUGE thank you goes out to all of you who help to plan and participated in March 19th's Empty Shirts, Lost Lives. The weather was probably the worst we could have asked for, so thank you so much for going out in the rain and the cold!! Hopefully we'll have wonderful weather on Friday.
Want to help grow the vigils in your neighborhood? IJPC has come up with some new promotional materials for these monthly vigils- including flyers and postcards. If you would like to help distribute this material, call Sue at IJPC, 513-579-8547.
Don’t see your neighborhood listed? Start your own neighborhood vigil! CALL SUE at IJPC, 513-579-8547
CINCINNATI HEALTH DEPARTMENT
TOWN HALL MEETING
UNNATURAL CAUSES: “Is Inequality Making Us Sick”
The Cincinnati Health Department request your participation in a Town Hall Meeting to be
held Saturday, April 19, 2008, Mayerson Academy (Board of Education Auditorium), 2101
Highland Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon.
As a focal point of the Health Equity Campaign sponsored by the National Association of
County & City Health officials (NACCHO), the Cincinnati Health Department will hold a town
hall meeting that features “Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick”, a four
hour PBS series and Public Impact Campaign. (The series aired from March 27 through April
17, 2008 on CET television in Cincinnati)
Our primary purpose will be to identify specific goals and objectives as they relate to
Cincinnati and use these as the basis for focused dialogue and to plan concrete action steps
to tackle health inequities and advocate for policies that promote well-being for
everyone. The “town hall meeting” will bring together officials responsible for housing,
transportation, education, planning, social and human services policy and other stakeholders
such as community and business representatives.
We look forward to your participation. Any questions please contact Bernadette Watson,
CHD Public Information Officer, 513-357-7291 or 357-7429 (Health Promotions Division).
On behalf of Dr. Noble Maseru,
Health Commissioner
Cincinnati Health Department
Bernadette Watson
Public Information Officer
Cincinnati Health Department
Office of Community Outreach Advocacy and Affairs
513-357-7291 Office
513-357-7290 Fax
FROM INTERCOMMUNITY JUSTIC AND PEACE CENTER
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SAT, APRIL 26
HARNESSING THE POWER OF VIDEO FOR SOCIAL CHANGE: A WORKSHOP FOR ORGANIZERS
Join us for this interactive workshop. Learn how organizers for the Sierra Club and ECO, working with a filmmaker, were able to sucessfully use video to bring about three specific and concrete changes. Come and see if video might work for you. Bring your current campaigns and challenges. Brinastorm how you could use video to move things forward. Presenters and discussion leaders include: Karen Arnett, Susan Knight and Barb Wolf
Peaslee Neighborhood Center
Saturday April 26, 9:30am- 12:30am
Call IJPC 513-579-8547 for more details
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APRIL 28
SAVE DARFUR EVENT: "THE DEVIL CAME ON HORSEBACK" movie viewing
7pm
University of Cincinnati, Tangeman University Center, Great Hall
This film fetures the firsthand testmony of U.S. Maring Captain Brian Steidle, who exposed the tragedy taking place in Darfur. He has access to parts of the country where no journalist could penetrate. The eveing will include live African music, ideas on what we can fo to stop the genocide, Fair trade coffee, and SaveDarfur merchandise. Organized by youth from Wyoming High school and sponered by Greater Cincinnati Advocates for Darfur.
For more information or directions to the event visit http://www.savedarfur.org/page/event/detail/filmscreening/4v7bl
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APRIL 28
CONTRIBUTING TO A PLATFORM FOR THE COMMON GOOD
7-9pm
Xavier University's Schiff Family Conference Center
Bellarmine Chapel is sponsering an eveing to pull together a local agenda of issues for the common good. What issues are you deeply concerned about? What do you want to make sure the political parties and their candidates know are a priority for you? Do you see the candidates talking about these issues in a way that connects with you as a person of faith? This evening aims to develop a set of issues to be delivered to the Convention for the Common Good in July in Philidelphia.
Contact Stephanie Beck Borden at beckborden@xavier.edu or 513-745-1908 for more information or registration.
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APRIL 28
SOJOURNERS VOTE OUT POVERTY GATHERING
7pm
Rohs St. Cafe, 245 W. McMillan in Clifton Heights
The Soujourners Vote out Poverty campaign is a strategic plan to makes poverty an important issue in Congession races in 2008, and to put povery on the poltical agenda for Christian voters. Come to this event to learn more about the effort.
Contact local Sojourners reps at vopcincy@gmail.com
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JUNE 28-29
Taking Torture to TASSC
Following UN Torture Abolition Day there will be a 24 hour vigil sponsored by Torture Abolition Survivor Support Coalition opposite the White House, on Saturday 28 to Sunday, June 29; Washington, D.C.
As our nation struggles with the realization of our complicity in the use of torture for political purposes, sisters of the Ursuline Society are inviting friends and concerned citizens to join us in peaceful public protest.
Inspired by the experience of Ursuline Sister Dianna Ortiz, who founded a Center for receiving other torture survivors, we choose to witness to the injustice of these practices, to state our moral outrage, and to demand a change of national policy.
Sister Dianna, founder of TASSC, in her book, The Blindfold's Eye, recounts her experience of torture as well as her effort to work with the US government in identifying the details of her case.
Google TASSC for information on this ministry.
Contact Sr. Pat Brockman for details on this venture at 513.541.4559,or pcbrockman@gmail.com.
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LOCAL WOMAN LISTENING TO NPR. FINDS WAY TO HELP FAMILY- YOU CAN JOIN IN!
DEPORTEE BACK HOME AFTER NEAR DEATH TRIP TO THE U.S.
Deportations to El Salvador have increased as the U.S. intensifies it's crackdown on illegal immigrants, including a man named Julio Cuellar. Mr. Cuellar abandoned his job in Elsalvador as a police officer to come to the U.S. He has diabetes and when he ran our of insulin, the man he paid to bring him into the country left him to die in the Arizona desert. He was picked up by U.S. border patrol two days later. His daughter says he came here for her, that he came to the U.S. to work when she was diagnosed with cancer, to help pay her medical bills. To read the full story, go to:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89383189
If you are interested in helping this family with their medical costs or any other way, please contact Judy Cirillo- jcirillo.1@juno.com or 961-1297
EarthSave Cincinnati Proudly Celebrates
Raw Food Author and Chef
Paul Nison
His latest book is
The Formula for Health
Paul has been eating a raw food diet for 15 years!
4:30pm Sunday, April 20, 2008
Clifton United Methodist Church
3416 Clifton Ave., 45220
Please bring a vegan dish to share
vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, seeds, nuts
and your own plates, cups, utensils
EVERYONE WELCOME!
513-929-2500: earthsave@fuse.net
http://cin cinnati.earthsave.org
VACANCY AT LLOYD HOUSE..............Please circulate.
As of 1 May the two room suite on third floor will be available for our next housemate. You? Private bathroom adjoining living room. Kitchen shared with 3 other housemates (share refrig. with one other person only). Off street parking. High Speed Internet wy-fi. Fabulous multicultural ambiance in historic gaslight Clifton Victorian, historic register (John Uri Lloyd). Many perqs. 2 miles from U.C. $450, heat, elect. included. Photo at http://www.lloydhouse.com Ellen: 513 221 1289
DO NOT MISS THIS!
Saturday 26 April
5:30 – 10 PM
Another amazing Lloyd House Dance Party
Live Music DANCING
Pot luck dinner (Bring food or drink. Bring about the amount you and your party would consume if that were ALL you were going to have for the dinner.)
DANCING
Come at 5:30. Bring friends, kids, seniors ...
We will again be entertained by the fabulous and amazing DIAL TONES band. “Oldies”.
Park on Lafayette Avenue (unless physically handicapped)
DANCING
... WE WILL PASS THE TIP BUCKET FOR THE BAND... SUGGESTED DONATION $10.
Every Sunday morning an open weekly Tai Chi practice session at the Lloyd House in the third floor zendo at 10:15 am. Everyone welcome. Group is led by Jackie Millay She is excellent! Only three of us. Come join us. Raise the chi, warm yourself up. Come summer, will relocate back to Burnet Woods. ellen
On April 27 there will be a protest against the Bodies exhibition at the museum center. I plan to be there. More details later. Ellen.
YOGA at Lloyd House. Wednesdays 9:15 – 10:30 am. Open, free practice group led by Nina Tolley.
'The Scoop' Seminar Series Presents:
Adrenal Fatigue: A Modern Day Epidemic
The latest information regarding one of the leading causes of health problems in America.
If you or someone you know is suffering from any of the following, this information may help:
fibromyalgia, sleep disorders, chronic fatigue, PMS, menopause, chronic or recurrent infections, mild depression, decreased ability to handle stress, unexplained hair loss, nervousness, dyspepsia
GET THE SCOOP!
Where: Gateways to Healing
821 Delta Ave. in Mt. Lookout
space is limited , call to reserve yours: 513-321-3317
When: Saturday May 3 from 2-4pm
Cost: $20, can be applied towards a Nutritional Examination
speaker
Dr. Michael Nichols, BS, DC, FICPA
Over the past twenty years, Dr. Michael has worked as a personal trainer, nutrition counselor, massage therapist, and chiropractor. He is currently the co-owner of Gateways to Healing, Network Chiropractic, with his wife Dr. Julie Nichols. He is also an instructor of anatomy and physiology at the Cincinnati School of Medical Massage. Gateways to Healing was voted 'Best Alternative Health Provider' by the readers of CityBeat magazine for 2006, 2007 & 2008.
FROM THE ACLU:
Subject: Bush's top-down torture policies
On Friday night, in a national television interview on ABC News, President Bush directly admitted that the White House was deeply involved in decisions about the CIA’s use of torture.
Recent reports indicate that members of the Bush administration including Dick Cheney, Condoleeza Rice, Donald Rumsfeld, Colin Powell and George Tenet met regularly and approved the CIA’s use of “combined” “enhanced” interrogation techniques -- tactics that amount to torture.
I just demanded that my members of Congress support strenuous efforts, including the appointment of an independent prosecutor, to hold President Bush, Vice-President Cheney and other high-ranking officials accountable for their role in crafting torture policy.
I thought you would like to know about this and would also want to do something about it. To take action, just follow the link below.
http://action.aclu.org/topdowntorture
Standing Women will stand again (at the lloyd house! 3901 Clifton Ave. Corner Lafayette) on May 11, 2008, 1 pm local time.
Last May hundreds of thousands of women and girls, along with the men and boys they love, in 75 countries and on all continents of the world stood together in parks, on beaches, in churches, at graduation ceremonies, in their backyards and at school yards or anyplace they could find to stand in a global wave of humanity in support of a better world for our children.
We invite women and their families everywhere to take this "stand" with us again, on May 11 at 1 p.m. local time for just 5 minutes, to rekindle the world with our common vision.
We stand for the world's children and grandchildren, and for the seven generations beyond them. We dream of a world where all of our children have safe drinking water, clean air to breathe, and enough food to eat. A world where they have access to a basic education to develop their minds and healthcare to nurture their growing bodies. A world where they have a warm, safe and loving place to call home. A world where they don't live in fear of violence-in their home, in their neighborhood, in their school or in their world. This is the world of which we dream. This is the cause for which we stand.
To learn more and register your standing, go to the Standing Women website at www.standingwomen.org
And please pass on the invitation and our YouTube video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eNJ4oVQKxU to your friends.
The vision we hold together can become a reality when enough of us come forward and take a stand...
With hope and thanks from the women of Ohio
WE WILL HAVE A DEMONSTRATION AT THE LLOYD HOUSE. COME WITH BELLS. ELLEN
Articles
Contents:
- Harry Potter and peacemaking by Steve Sunderland
- Iranian economist lays out the Sub-prime situation
- EARTH DAY STIMULUS BY SIERRA CLUB
Salonista Steve Sunderland on Harry Potter and Peacemaking
The following article appears in the local newspaper, "Metro."
PEACE AND HARRY POTTER
by Steve Sunderland
What makes the Harry Potter series of books so important is
the ways they illustrate children making peace in a world that is
hostile to youngsters, especially orphans, disabled children, and
kids with special gifts. J.W. Rowling has created characters that are
caught in a world of conflict and war. She recognizes that children
can be the chief victims particularly those who are the innocent
survivors of war's evil. Children in war can develop unique survival
abilities. Reading histories of children who were "soldiers" in the
Warsaw Ghetto in the Holocaust, or children who provided help to
downed Allied soldiers in Nazi controlled Europe, or Vietnamese
children who sacrificed their lives for non-violent approaches to
peace, are a backdrop for Harry Potter. And, we cannot forget the
many children who are refugees in the Middle East, Africa, Asia,
Latin America as well the children caught in ghettos, destructive
foster homes and oppressive U.S. child care systems.
Harry Potter "escapes" to a magical world that is
also dangerous at times, only Harry is rewarded and appreciated for
his magical talents by other children and adults who "see" in him the
beauty of a "great wizard." Each book recounts Harry's growth in the
skills of using his wand, or learning chants, or using potions or
some general set of ideas and habits of mind that strengthen his
heart. But his greatest skill, his most profound magic, lies within
his own heart as he comes to realize that having magic requires also
having a critical mind, an openness to friendship, a curiosity about
his past, a connection to other children and adults, and, finally, a
set of inner values that both affirm his personality and encourage
him to make decisions based on integrity.
There are no shortcuts to peace for Harry based on
magic. Indeed, the journey may be longer to the truth, to the
development of a fine mind, and to the responsibility for caring for
others. Harry is a restless young person as he approaches both
friends and enemies on his path of learning. Not sure why there is
evil in the world, and aware that even parents may be ugly to their
children, he pushes for a full understanding of the historical and
personal forces that cause him difficulties. And, these challenges
are recurrent as evil, never killed, reappears in parts of his world.
Harry knows he is lucky to have friends and even
luckier to be at a school that is committed to loving instruction and
leadership. Rowling has peopled the school with so many inventive
characters and plots as to almost distract the reader from seeing
this most amazing story of peace. Harry's inner world has solid
teachers who make it clear that peace requires deep analysis,
delightful study, and actions that serve the community.
I am heartened that so many children around the world
have been reading each book and seeing the movie versions. A
vocabulary of peace is being formed that includes "Muggles,"
"Hogwarts," "Hagrid," "Hermione," "Hedwig," "Dumbledore," and
"Weasley." These are the key names and places where peace can be
fought for with the inner arts of magic and where children, parents
and teachers can join against "dark forces of unconstrained power." I
suspect that children are learning a great deal about how unlikely it
is their own schools and teachers are magical. The book warns
children to be aware of the superficial and appealing forces of
gossip, power hungriness, bullying, and disrespect. The reader is
invited to look into wonderful mirrors and reflect on who has
supported efforts for peace and justice. There are clear instructions
to consider people and ideas that frighten us to be "ridiculous,"
"boggarts," if we can only learn to see beneath the bluff.
Who speaks for the children of the world caught in a
web of evil that is not of their own making? Who calls to them about
their own inner strengths, their own capacity for true friendships,
and their own abilities for making a change? The silencing of
children, even children seeking to read these books, has been a major
effort of our "Muggle Schools." Harry Potter speaks for peace and we
are glad for it and so happy that children and parents are now
reading these wonderful adventures in loving children enough to
respect their magic.
Spencer Konicov, salonista, engineer and realtor sends this:
The fall of the Dollar Empire
(for the complete article including charts and images, see: http://www.saudiinfocus.com/en/show_int_det.asp?intid=59
))
Fri, 15 Feb 2008 22:19:47
An interview with Hamid Varzi by Monavar Khalaj, Press TV, Tehran
The following is an interview with Hamid Varzi an economist and banker based in Tehran about the US economic crisis:
Q.Please tell us more about the 2007 subprime mortgage financial crisis and why, how and when it began?
A.The crisis began in 2000 with Bush Jr.'s election that re-established the irresponsible “Supply Side” and “trickle-down” economic policies of the Reagan years. We are wrong to focus only on the subprime crisis, which has been conveniently blown out of all proportion in order to create the convenient and comforting impression that this is a manageable problem solvable through a simple reduction in interest rates and a 90-day government mandated delay on foreclosures (Hillary's recommendation). The subprime crisis presages far greater problems down the road. It is already spreading to other forms of commercial paper, and even if the damage can be contained the relief will be only temporary because a much larger danger is looming on the horizon: The US economy has grown largely on the back of speculative credit derivatives that have risen exponentially to $ 35 trillion, which is more than double the size of the entire US economy! (emphasis added. Ellen) This is an approaching iceberg, and all you've seen (in the sub-prime scandal) is the tip. To return to your question, the first chart below proves that speculative commercial lending received a major boost with Bush's election, and soared with his re-election.
Credit derivative volumes continue to soar. The notional principal outstanding of credit default swaps (CDSs) grew 33% in the second half of 2006, rising from $26 trillion to $34.5 trillion, following 52% growth during the first half of 2006, according to industry body International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA). (Global Finance, June 2007). The ECB confirms the HI 2006 figure of $ 26 trillion. As you will observe, actual growth has far exceeded even the rapid growth foreseen by the British Bankers' Association Credit Derivatives Report 2006 in which ambitious growth targets for 2008, forecasted below, have already been met. The bulk has been 'created' in and by the United States, and only a small portion of this speculative debt relates to subprime mortgage lending:
The Myth of Reaganomics and the Gratuitous Demonization of Clintonomics
The real root cause of the subprime crisis began with Ronald Reagan. Wall Street 'wisdom' hails Ronald Reagan as the last great saviour of US Capitalism. However, supporters of Ronald Reagan seem unable to explain the unprecedented exponential growth of stocks, during Clinton's presidency, on the back of equally unprecedented (= exploding) budget surpluses, a major decline in the Federal Debt and a major strengthening of the Dollar.
Bush raised fiscal irresponsibility to new highs. The charts below explain why the subprime crisis did NOT occur on Clinton's watch:
During Clinton's 8 years he turned a $ 135 billion Bush Sr. deficit into a $ 526 billion budget surplus, he significantly reduced the National Debt and simultaneously presided over a mind-boggling 240 % rise in the stock market. The perspective of strong fiscal discipline encouraged foreigners to invest in the US and the Dollar rose over 20 % as a result of a combination of the above 3 factors.
The US economy projected strength. Now the Dollar is tanking as a natural reaction to policies that totally reversed Clinton's fiscal and monetary discipline. America's fate is at the mercy of foreign investors (China, India, Russia and many others with around 10 % annual GDP growth) which are getting stronger by the day and represent the economies of the future.
Q.What was the role of investment banks and mortgage lenders in creating the crisis? Do you think any fraud had happened?
A. No, as far as the investment banks were concerned there was no fraud, just plain greed, ignorance, irresponsibility and stupidity. Even, the SocGen $ 7.2 billion scandal was simply due to the ambitions of one young man trying to make a name for himself by speculating with his Bank's money. Investment bankers tend to be 'cowboys' and 'gamblers' salivating at the prospect of gigantic bonuses when they succeed, and many of whom simply move on to the next bank when they fail (Nick Leeson of Barings Bank was an exception, but only because he actually bankrupted the bank! But I don't believe M. Kerviel has even been charged; he was arrested and then released!).
As for the US mortgage lenders, their 'irresponsibility' bordered on 'fraud', because they lent money to people who obviously couldn't pay, simply in order to earn higher commissions/fees. If you place a knife in the hand of a 2-year old child and it cuts itself it is you, and not the child, who has been criminally negligent, particularly if you have benefited from the child's discomfort as did the mortgage lenders.
Q. Have the world weathered the crisis? If not what are your predictions and prescriptions?
A.Yes, the world has indeed weathered the crisis, because the US sold only about 20 % of its economic toxic waste to the rest of the world. Most importantly, the nations which bought America's toxic waste have suffered financial losses only among their financial institutions, not among the general population which, in most industrialized countries, has to make a 30 % mortgage cash down-payment and provide solid evidence of regular financial income before being granted a mortgage. Not one home-owner in Germany or France or England faced foreclosure because of what happened in the US.
This actually demonstrates how quickly global economies are decoupling from the US economy. The US has a $ 9 trillion National Debt and a net $ 3 trillion foreign debt, so obviously any crisis is going to hit indebted countries far harder than nations flush with cash (Russia, China, India, Japan, the 'Tigers' and Western Europe). The US is in deep fundamental, historical trouble.
Q.What is its impact on the world economy?
A.Greater controls will be imposed by governments across the globe to discourage financial speculation, which is a 'good thing'. Banks will refocus on trade and export finance rather than on gambling. The world economy will cool off (which will reduce some of the speculative excesses such as the current oil and gold prices).
Q.How will it influence the life of ordinary people across the globe, especially those at the bottom of the economic ladder in the US and Europe?
A.Those at the bottom of the economic ladder in Europe are about 10 rungs above their counterparts in the US, so the effect will be negligible compared with the economic hardships to be faced continually by those at the bottom of the US economic ladder. Even setting aside the subprime crisis for a moment, US households are more in debt, generally, than at any time since the 1930s Great Depression. The US Wealth Gap and the US Household Savings rate are both at Great Depression extremes despite an extended period of global economic growth:
Here is the chart confirming a NEGATIVE savings rate, = - 1.5 %
Q. Do Asian economies including China, India, Malaysia and even Iran expect its ramifications?
A. As mentioned above, this is a US crisis because the US does not currently have the fiscal means, the monetary means or the political will to solve it: Nothing will improve unless and until fundamental measures are adopted by the next US Administration similar to those adopted by Bill Clinton (see charts above).
Q.Why has the US Dollar gone into a spiral of decline?
A.Mainly because it has to borrow $ 3 billions each and every day from foreigners to finance its massive current account deficit and its war machine. Foreign nations have become nervous at the annual 10 % deterioration in their Dollar holdings. Foreigners don't even need to reduce their Dollar reserves to precipitate a Dollar crisis; they can do so merely by refusing to increase their holdings, i.e., refrain from participating in further US Treasury auctions.
Q.There are two views about the impact of the dollar decline on the US economy: one holds that it would eventually benefit the US economy through boosting exports while others believe that it damage the US economy. What is your opinion?
A.The export view is sheer unadulterated nonsense. The Dollar has been in fundamental decline since the end of WWII, as has its trade deficit!!! A weak currency is not a panacea for economic health. It merely delays the inevitable drive to increase competitiveness, as demonstrated by Germany which has again become the world's No. 1 exporter despite an 80 % appreciation in the Euro since 2001! The drop in the Dollar has, on the contrary, caused only a minimal reduction of its annual $ 750 billion trade deficit, which proves that US lack of competitiveness is truly endemic and not a function of exchange rates.
A weak currency also boosts inflation as imports become more expensive. In America's case it represents a 'double whammy' because, while imports become more expensive they are unavoidable since the US doesn't produce many of the consumer goods it needs.
Q.Would the dollar's depreciation lead other countries to switch to other main currencies and given that the US Dollar is a fiat currency could such a move further fuel the dollar's decline?
A.They already have! Countries are realizing (ours a little late, but better late than never!) that the US Dollar is in fundamental imperial decline: From a peak of 121 shortly after Clinton left office the Dollar index has been swooning with no end in sight. Yes, Reagan boosted the Dollar temporarily, but only by raising the Prime Rate to a massive 21.5 % to attract foreign aid (sorry, foreign 'capital')! Here is another chart, this time of the Dollar's seemingly unstoppable decline against a basket of international currencies (trade-weighted index):
Q.What will be the impacts of the US dollar decline on Iran's economy?
A.Not much. Iran's own economic policies (or lack of)influence our nation's economic health far more significantly than the Dollar exchange rate.
Q. What will be the impacts of the US presidential elections on the US economy?
A.There will definitely be a massive change, with a return to the much maligned 'Clintonomics' if either Hillary or Obama wins, as I personally predict. The Dollar will strengthen, by which I mean that it will reverse some of its losses, but not that it will re-emerge as the fiat currency. The deterioration in the US fiscal and current account deficits will be stemmed as the US increases taxes, reduces budget wastage, redistributes wealth more fairly and severely reduces military spending on the back of a partial or withdrawal from Iraq which has already cost $ 2 trillion according to 2001 Nobel Economics Prize Winner Joseph Stiglitz.
If McCain wins, after a brief relapse the Euro will strengthen to $ 2.00 from its current rate of $ 1.48, because McCain will be just another Republican spendthrift unable to offload the party baggage (the “special interests”), no matter how 'fiscally responsible' he sounds on the surface. But I doubt he will win.
Q.Do you think the Iranian decision to cut its ties with the greenback and Tehran's call on its importers of crude to pay in non-dollar currencies have adversely contributed to the Dollar nosedive?
A.Definitely, because it was not so much the nominal sums involved, which are paltry by global comparison, but the psychological effect of the move which encouraged others to follow suit.
Q.Should one consider the US crisis as an opportunity for booming economies like India and China to assume a more important role in the world's markets?
A.They already have. The US is totally dependent on China's goodwill. If the US were to ban all imports from China tomorrow morning the US economy would suffer a heart attack as it would have to import those same goods more expensively from elsewhere. In retaliation, the Chinese would sell their surplus Dollar mountain and precipitate a global economic depression. The emerging economies would be better able to withstand such an Armageddon scenario because they are accustomed to hardship, while decadent US consumers are already bankrupt despite an environment of extended global economic growth. The US would probably suffer riots, internal conflict and starvation for the first time in 80 years. Emerging economies are used to economic hardship and even war. The US is much more fragile than its leaders and economic pundits admit. There is a huge fundamental and conceptual difference between a) going from recession to depression (the USA), and b) going from 10 % + economic growth to a more reasonable 3 % economic growth (Russia, India, China, ….).
EARTH DAY STIMULUS, FROM SIERRA CLUB:
on 4/8/08 4:28 PM, Greg Haegele/Sierra Club at membership.services@sierraclub.org wrote:
Dear Ellen, <http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=tXaXp2NnHELcJqE9VwiM7Q..>
You know you should install a low-flow showerhead in your bathroom, but have you done it? You know your daughter's school could make just a few inexpensive changes to be more energy efficient and save money, but have you set that in motion? Is your business as green as it could be? This Earth Day, (TUESDAY APRIL 22) we want to make it easy for you to make these things happen. And our own Owen Bailey is willing to climb into the shower <http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=VkWhwIqfeFPE1p8SnKzkrg..> to help you get there.
Why? Because we're driven by the belief that, if we all team up, we can build a clean, renewable economy. It'll take your help and commitment, teamwork from our allies in the faith, union, and progressive movements, the work of responsible businesses and industries, contributions from our friends and neighbors -- and then we can end America's dependence on expensive oil and polluting coal. We can increase the use of affordable renewable energy, we can make our homes, cars and buildings more energy efficient, we can create new jobs, save money and reduce global warming. We can do it! The Sierra Club's 2008 Earth Day website <http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=pAcImimTzX3DbOUGPX_kTA..> is designed to make it easier for you to celebrate Earth Day AND make a real difference at home, in your community, and for the future. At www.sierraclub.org/earthday <http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=EbTHWsGkXaDMfNUidqUM7g..> we'll jump in the shower and show you.
We don't ask you to work with your church congregation to figure out ways to use less energy <http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=OxpfznbhEct1JtVwJyWVRA..> -- we give you a guide and introduce you to other people who've already done it. And we have other success stories for you -- people who have already embraced clean energy and efficiency -- like Darrell Dickey and Stephen Weitz who drive cars that NEVER need gas <http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=QFDR6rqkZ2vgeHmbXxVOXg..> ; businesses like a winery in California, a hotel in Montana, Subway sandwich shops in Texas that are already saving money and cutting their carbon emissions. We can do it. You can be part of the push for a clean energy economy -- at home, and in your community. Learn how at www.sierraclub.org/earthday <http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=-S3hn1nRLy2ovdp85wOunA..> .Sierra Club
85 Second St.
San Francisco, CA 94105
Ellen
Books,Movies, Reviews
It’s up to you folks to send me blurbs. I know you are reading. What? Is it good? Ellen........................
Faye Kellerman writes a good detective story...a Jewish LA police detective hero. I just read False Profit.
It’s been so long since I read any of the Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries by Dorothy Sayre that I forgot them all... Enjoying Clouds of Witness.
And I continue to study the material on the Alexander Technique for my teacher training program. Marvelous! The Alexander Technique has veritable geriatric value.
Tri-State Treasures
Tri-State Treasures is a compilation of unique local people, places, and events that may enrich your lives. These treasures have been submitted by you and others who value supporting quality community offerings. Please consider supporting these treasures, and distributing the information for others to enjoy. And please continue to forward your Tri-State Treasures ideas to jkesner@nuvox.net.
Information about Tri-State Treasures and how to submit Tri-State Treasures is at the bottom of this email. Please help me by providing all basic information, and formatting your submissions as described below. Thank you.
Sincerely, Jim
~~~~~
City of Lost Children [Thursday 17 April @ 8 PM]: From the directors of "Amelie" comes a fairy tale like no other: Krank cannot dream, so he kidnaps young children to steal their dreams. The strong-man One (Ron Perlman) sets forth to find Denree, his little brother who was kidnapped by Krank's men. Helped by the orphan Miette and her friends, he soon arrives in The City of Lost Children. (Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Marc Caro, 112 min, 1995, France). At 800 Swift Hall, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45220. More info @ tyl550@gmail.com & www.ucreelcinema.blogspot.com.
Vegetated Roof [Thursday 17 April @ 6:30 PM]: Professor Russell will discuss the reasons for & the designs of Vegetated Roofs in the Greater Cincinnati Area. At Cincinnati Room ATLC 108, Cincinnati State Conference Center, 3520 Central Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45223. More info @ 513.293.3241, james@greenenergyohio.org, & www.greenenergyohio.org.
Triage [Thursdays 17 & 24 April & 1 May @ 8:30 PM]: Celebrate Billy Larkin's 50th birthday on 17 April; mention 'Billy's Birthday' when you arrive to receive $3 off normal cover charge of $8. At The Blue Wisp, 318 East 8th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202. More info @ 513.241.9477, bilarky@fuse.net, & www.thebluewisp.com.
Visiting Tibetan Buddhist Teacher [Thursday-Saturday 17-19 April]: Venerable Achok Rinpoche will share his extensive knowledge of Tibetan Buddhism with beginners & advanced students.
<> Transforming Adversity into Opportunity [Thu 17 Apr @ 7 PM]: During this talk about how to do more than just endure the hardships in life, Rinpoche will share the Buddhist perspective on how to do more than simply endure the hardships in life & how these problems can become a source of strength & bring us closer to achieving lasting happiness.
<> Medicine Buddha Initiation [Fr 18 Apr @ 7 PM]: Also known as the “healing” Buddha, the Medicine Buddha initiation is an introduction to this enlightened being who can help us address & deal with the health challenge to live a longer, fuller life. Some knowledge of Buddhism is necessary to participate in this initiation.
<> Eight Verses of Mind Training [Sat 19 Apr @ 10 AM - 4.30 PM]: The foundation of Buddhism is compassion for all beings & the Eight Verses of Mind Training, or lojong, teaches how to cultivate a mind of compassion. Rinpoche will explain this instruction to provide a method for transforming adversity into an opportunity for spiritual growth. At GSL Buddhist Monastery, 3046 Pavlova Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45251. More info @ 513.385.7116, gsl@ganden.org, & www.gadenusa.org.
War & Trauma [Friday 18 April @ 7 PM]: Third in a 4-part film & book discussion series examines the psychological effects of war. This installment is “Letters from Iwo Jima,” a film directed by Clint Eastwood, discussed by Sam Robertson, MD, Psychoanalyst & Cincinnati Psychoanalytic faculty member. Moderator, Karl Stukenberg, PhD, ABPP, Advanced candidate in the Cincinnati Psychoanalytic Institute’s Training Program & teaching professor in the Department of Psychology at Xavier University. Presented by the Association for Psychoanalytic Thought. Wine & cheese reception @ 6:30 PM. Free for members, $5 for non-members. At the Cincinnati Psychoanalytic Institute, 3001 Highland Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45219. More info & reservations @ 513.531.0415 & assnpsathought@aol.com.
Contemplating God: Images in the Liturgy [Friday 18 April @ 8 PM]: A feature of the Michigan musical scene since 1995, the Ann Arbor Grail Singers are a 16-voice women's choir with an outstanding reputation in Gregorian Chant & Early Music repertoire. They've been lauded for the beauty of their sound, & "their musicality, precision, balance, & intonation" The group was founded by the late Lynn Malley of Grailville, & directed by her until her death. The Ann Arbor Grail Singers are now led by Deborah Friauff, who holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Michigan & was awarded the “Premier Prix d’Orgue, Médaille d’Or” by the Conservatoire National de Région, Rueil-Malmaison, France. Tickets for the concert & reception are $30; tickets for the concert only are $15; this is a benefit concert by the Ann Arbor Grail Singers. At 932 O’Bannonville Road, Loveland OH 45140. More info @ 513.683.2340, grailville@fuse.net, & www.grailville.org.
Manifest's 4th Annual Rites of Passage Exhibit Opening [Friday 18 April @ 6-9 PM]: Featuring 22 works by 11 emerging artists representing 8 national college undergraduate programs. Conceived & initiated in 2005, The Rites of Passage exhibits were developed to support student excellence by offering a public venue for the display of advanced creative research; to promote young artists as they transition into their professional careers; & to bring the positive creative energies of academic institutions together in one place. The artists are: Jen Adrion, Columbus College of Art & Design; Liz Beard, Miami University; Amanda Foran, Auburn University; Hei B. Ahn, School of the Art Institute of Chicago; Joanna Lord, Miami University; Michael Meadors, East Carolina University; Jahaziel Minor, Art Academy of Cincinnati; Whitney Sage, Miami University; John Sloan, Western Washington University; Ruth Wartman, Art Academy of Cincinnati; & Stephen Williams, Bowling Green State University. Exhibit runs thru Friday 23 May. Refreshments served. At Manifest Creative Research Gallery & Drawing Center, 2727 Woodburn Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45206. More info @ 513.861.3638, manifest@manifestgallery.org, & www.manifestgallery.org.
The Unifying Power of Chant [Saturday 19 April @ 10 AM - Noon]: Singers & lovers of chant are invited to attend this workshop. Learn about the history of chant by listening to examples, singing in the 3 Gregorian chant performance styles, & discussing the evolution of the form through the Middle Ages. Experience the musical element most prevalent in chant, the free-flowing modal melody, by creating your own meditative chant using the Dorian mode & your own sacred "words to live by." The Workshop will explore cross-cultural (Native American, Shaker, Asian) use of chant singing to unify communities, & will be led by Roberta Schultz, a singer, performer, teacher, & award-winning songwriter from Wilder, KY, of the vocal trio, Raison D'Etre. Tuition is $30; reservations are recommended. More info @ 513.683.2340, grailville@fuse.net, & www.grailville.org.
Family-Friendly Opera - The Barber of Seville [Saturday 19 April @ 10:30 AM & 1:30 PM]: Cincinnati Opera Education presents this 45-minute version of Giachino Rossini’s classic opera as the featured opera for its popular Family Series. Delight to Rossini's toe-tapping tunes & hair-raising escapades in an opera that is romantic, absurd, & astutely funny. One of Rossini’s most popular operas, The Barber of Seville, comically describes the attempts of young Spanish nobleman, Count Almaviva, as he tries to woo Rosina with his personality, not his wealth, aided by the charming & comical barber, Figaro. The production features 4 amazingly talented members of the 2008 Cincinnati Opera Resident Ensemble with colorful sets & costumes. Sung in English. Perfect for families. Tickets are $5; seating is limited; advance ticket reservations are recommended. At Memorial Hall, 1225 Elm Street, Downtown Cincinnati, OH 45202. More info @ 513.241.2742 & www.cincinnatiopera.org.
Student Short Docs [Saturday 19 April @ 2 PM]: Cincinnati World Cinema hosts the Clark Montessori Student Short Documentary Showcase, with post-film discussion led by documentary filmmaker Pamela Thomas. Ten teams of students from Clark Montessori share their vision of life in Cincinnati in short 5-10 minute documentary films, capturing neighborhoods, families, school situations, & community issues. Proceeds will benefit the Clark Montessori School film & video program. Tickets are $5; free for all junior & senior high school students with current ID. At Fath Auditorium, Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45202. More info, tix, & trailer @ 859.781.8151, WorldCinema@fuse.net, & www.cincyworldcinema.org.
Technology Recycling Drop-Off [thru Saturday 19 April]: Best Computing Services is collecting computer related equipment at Park + Vine. Computers are disassembled & recycled or rebuilt & donated to non-profit organizations & schools. At Park + Vine, 1109 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202. More info @ 513.721.7275, dan@parkandvine.com, & www.parkandvine.com.
ballet tech cincinnati Jazz Jam Sessions [Sunday 20 April @ 6-9 PM]: These monthly sessions offer a unique opportunity for jazz musicians of all ages & skill levels to participate as performers or simply observe skilled jazz musicians in action. Audience members can enjoy great jazz music from a variety of performers in a relaxed atmosphere. A great venue for jazz music in a no smoking/no alcohol venue that is comfortable for performers & audience members of all ages. Offers professional artists, college & high school musicians a venue to perform together. The House Band will provide keyboard, drum set, amplifiers, mikes & a rhythm section for sit-in musicians. Admission is $5; soft drinks, juices & snacks are available for purchase. At ballet tech cincinnati, 6543 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati, OH 45213. More info @ 513.841.2822 & www.ballettechcincinnati.org.
A Woman Under the Influence [Monday 21 April @ 6 PM]: A devastating and unrelenting depiction of the breakdown of a suburban family, John Cassavetes' searing drama details the struggles of a housewife (Gena Rowlands) in the throes of mental illness and her temperamental husband's (Peter Falk) ineffectual efforts to help her. (Dir. John Cassavetes, 155 min, 1974, USA). Presented by UC Reel Cinema. At Meyer Gallery, Ground Floor Steger Student Life Center (next to UC Starbucks), University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45220. More info @ tyl550@gmail.com & www.ucreelcinema.blogspot.com.
Planting Sunflowers for Earth Day [Tuesday 22 April @ 5-7 PM]: Families are invited to help plant sunflowers all over the school grounds. You'll receive sunflower seeds to plant in your own gardens, too. Free. Presented by Granny's Garden School, an environmental education program located on the grounds of the Loveland Primary School, 550 Loveland-Madeira Road, Loveland, OH 45140. More info @ 513.324.2873, schoolgarden@fuse.net, & www.grannysgardenschool.com.
Using the Best of the Past to Build a Future: Cincinnati in the 21st Century [Tuesday 22 April @ 7:30 PM]: Presented by Cincinnati Council Member Roxanne Qualls. $10 (public); $5 (students & Observatory members). Seating is limited. At the Cincinnati Observatory Center, 3489 Observatory Place, Cincinnati, OH 45208. More info @ 513.321.5186 & www.cincinnatiobservatory.org/whatsup.html.
Eco Go Go [Tuesday 22 April @ 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM]: See models parade through the Fountain Square Flower Carpet on Earth Day, coiffed in eco-conscious clothing from Park + Vine & Nati Evolvement, & hair & makeup from Deviate Salon & Spa. Other sponsors include Cincy Chic, City Roots & RaceCarProductions. At Fountain Square, 5th & Vine, Downtown Cincinnati, OH 45202. More info @ 513.721.7275, dan@parkandvine.com, & www.parkandvine.com.
Oscar Shorts 2008 [Tuesday-Wednesday 22-23 & 29-30 April @ 7 PM]: Cincinnati World Cinema presents its 7th Annual screening of the Academy Award nominated live-action & animated short films, featuring films from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, Poland, Russia, & the U.K. Two programs: "A" & "B". Each with different films. Each with 3 live-action & 3 animated works. Each 2-hour program includes 1 Oscar winner, 4 Oscar-nominated films, & 1 bonus short. Screenings span 2 weeks for greater viewer convenience. Program "A" = Tue 22 & Wed 30 April. Program "B" = Wed 23 & Tue 29 April. Tickets are $7 & $9. At Fath Auditorium, Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45202. More info & tix @ 859.781.8151, WorldCinema@fuse.net, & www.cincyworldcinema.org.
A Historian’s View of Recent Events in Russia & Ukraine [Wednesday 23 April @ 7 PM]: Miami University Professor of History, Robert W. Thurston, PhD, is a prominent author, scholar & lecturer of Russian & Ukrainian history & politics. He will speak on “New Countries & the Lure of the Past: A Historian’s View of Recent Events in Russia & Ukraine." Free & presented by the Cincinnati-Ukraine Partnership. Join CUP to welcome Professor Thurston back to Cincinnati for an update on events in this strategically important part of our world. At Mariemont High School, 3812 Pocahontas Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45227. More info @ 513-241-8833, info@cincy-ukraine.org, & www.cincy-ukraine.org.
Poetry In The Garden [Wednesdays 23 & 30 April @ 7 PM]: Local & regional poets will read from their works at the Annual Poetry In The Garden series. The series will feature Valerie Chronis Bickett on April 23, & Kristi Maxwell & F. Keith Wahle on April 30. In the Reading Garden Lounge, 1st Floor, South Building of the Main Library, 800 Vine Street, Downtown Cincinnati, OH 45202. More info at 513.369.6945, Becky.Cohn@cincinnatilibrary.org, & www.CincinnatiLibrary.org/programs/.
"A Course in Miracles" Study Group [Wednesday 23 April & @ 6-7:30 PM, & 2nd & 4th Wed. of each month ]: A healing circle & discussion about this profound book & its spiritual philosophy based on healing & forgiveness with practical application in everyday life [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Course_in_Miracles]. Co-facilitated by Mary Claybon & Jeanne Uhl. $5 offering. At the Jade Center for the Healing Arts, 9122 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati, OH 45242. More info & registration @ 513.309.8377 & maryfree@cinci.rr.com.
Rashomon [Wednesday-Sunday 23-27 April @ 8 PM (Wed-Sat) & 2:30 PM (Sat-Sun)]: This ancient Japanese tale of passion & deceit takes place 1000 years ago. In a bamboo forest outside Kyoto, an outlaw kills a samurai & ravishes his wife - or are things really so black & white? With 4 witnesses offering conflicting versions of events, how does one know right from wrong? This penetrating look into the human psyche is an enduring drama that illustrates the power of perception. Presented as part of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Mainstage Drama Series. Tickets: $10 for Wed preview; $15-27 for Thu-Sun performances. At Patricia Corbett Theater, UC CCM, Cincinnati, OH 45221. More info @ 513.556.4183 & www.ccm.uc.edu.
Speaking in Silence Art Exhibit [exhibit is ongoing, Silent Art Auction Thursday 24 April @ 4-8 PM]: The day of silence, recognizing hate crimes & violence against the LGBT Community, is 25 April. In recognition of this event, there will be an art show in the TUC main atrium featuring student artwork, which will be sold in a silent auction at the end of the exhibit on 24 April. Enjoy the art & support the student artists involved in this show. Free viewing; sponsored by the University of Cincinnati, MainStreet, & GenderBloc. At the Tangeman University Center, University of Cincinnati, 2600 Clifton Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45221. More info @ 513.503.7977 & millli@email.uc.edu.
Call for Applicants to City's Artist Grant Program [deadline is Friday 25 April @ 5 PM]: The City of Cincinnati Department of Community Development is looking for applicants to its 2008 Individual Artist Grant Program. The maximum award has been increased to $6,000. The grant program is open to creative & interpretive artists who are residents of the city of Cincinnati & are age 18 or older. Applications may be submitted in the following artistic disciplines: dance, literature, media, music, performance art, theater, & visual arts. More info @ 513-352-4985 & www.cincinnati-oh.gov/cdap/pages/-18078-/.
Nonsense to Greensense Reception [Friday 25 April @ 6-9 PM]: Nicholas Gallery & Park + Vine are featuring artists who work with solar energy, recyclable materials, found objects, & other environmentally friendly ideas for this Earth Day-themed show. The show runs thru Friday 23 May & coincides with ArtWorks' Art-O-Mat, which will feature recycled art in a converted 1960s cigarette machine. An after-party at Below Zero Lounge, 1122 Walnut Street follows the reception. At Park + Vine, 1109 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202. More info @ 513.721.7275, dan@parkandvine.com, & www.parkandvine.com.
Harnessing The Power of Videos for Social Change: A Workshop for Organizers [Saturday 26 April @ 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM]: Join this interactive workshop to learn how organizers for the Sierra Club & ECO, working with a filmmaker, successfully used video to bring about specific, concrete changes. Bring your campaigns & challenges to see if video might work for you. Brainstorm how you could use video to move things forward. Presenters & discussion leaders are Karen Arnett, Susan Knight & Barb Wolf. Sponsored by Intercommunity Justice & Peace Center. At Peaslee Neighborhood Center, 215 East 14th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202. More info @ 513.579.8547.
Vibrant Earth [Saturday-Sunday 26-27 April]: Ten Thousand Villages presents a springtime gardening celebration, a 2-day festival featuring their new handmade pots & other garden items, plus a container gardening seminar offered free. Learn how to create glorious blooming pots for any location with the seminar “Vibrant Pots for Any Spot” on Saturday @ 11 AM. Presented by Lisa Nogar, Master Gardener & Karen Diller. At Ten Thousand Villages, 2011 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH 45208. More info & reservations @ 513.871.5840, tenthousandvillagesofcincinnati@fuse.net, & www.tenthousandvillages.com.
O’Bryonville’s Annual Celebration of Spring Event [Saturday-Sunday 26-27 April @ 11AM-5PM (Sat) & Noon-4PM (Sun)]: Stroll through O’Bryonville & refresh you senses. Nineteen businesses on O’Bryonville’s “Eclectic Mile” will be offering 10% off selected merchandise, musical performances by the Fairview German Language School Choir & Leisure Pop/Rock Band, & featuring an end-of-event giveaway of gift certificates & merchandise from all 19 businesses valued at $550. Presented by The O’Bryonville Business Association. Free. O’Bryonville, 2011 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH 45208. More info @ 513.533.1974 & www.obryonville.com.
2008 Westwood Home Tour [Sunday 27 April @ 1-6 PM]: The Westwood Historical Society will sponsor the 4th biennial Westwood Home Tour. This self-guided tour starts at Mother of Mercy High School Epworth Avenue entrance @ 3036 Werk Road. The featured homes mirror the delightful diversity of homes in Westwood. They range from those built in the 19th century when Westwood was still a village (including one built by a man who maintained a diary of his life in the 1800s) to a vintage mid-century modern home whose remodeled kitchen received design recognition. Traditional to kitschy. From simple lines, to intriguing octagonal rooms, to creative rehabs. From busy street corner to woodsy retreat. Westwood's fire station Engine Company #35, a favorite neighborhood landmark, is on the tour tucked on the corner of a quiet residential street, celebrating its 100th birthday. Tickets are $12 at the High School on the day of the tour; advance tickets are $10 at Henke Winery (3077 Harrison Avenue) & US Bank Westwood-Cheviot Office (3168 Harrison Avenue). More info @ 513.483.4722 & www.westwoodhistorical.org.
Create a Spiritual Legacy [Sunday 27 April @ 10 AM]: Learn how to record your spiritual life in books for future generations. Presented by Heidi Bright Parales, M.Div., Bright Concepts. At St. Thomas Church, 100 Miami Avenue, Terrace Park, OH 45174. More info @ 513.774.9882 & www.preservefamilymemories.com.
Save Darfur Event - The Devil Came On Horseback [Monday 28 April @ 7 PM]: This film features the first-hand testimony of U.S. Marine Captain Brian Steidle, who exposed the tragedy taking place in Darfur, thru access to parts of the country journalist had not gone. The evening will include live African music, ideas how to stop the genocide, fair trade coffee, & Save Darfur merchandise. Organized by youth from Wyoming High school; sponsored by Greater Cincinnati Advocates for Darfur. At Tangeman University Center Great Hall, University of Cincinnati, 45221. More info @
www.savedarfur.org/page/event/detail/filmscreening/4v7bl.
Contributing to a Platform for the Common Good [Monday 28 April @ 7-9 PM]: Schiff Family Conference Center Bellarmine Chapel sponsors an evening to assemble a local agenda of issues for the common good. What issues a deeply concern you? What do you want political parties & candidates to know are your priorities? Do you see the candidates talking about these issues in a way that connects with you? This evening aims to develop a set of issues to be delivered to the Convention for the Common Good in July in Philadelphia. More info from Stephanie Beck Borden @ 513-745-1908 & beckborden@xavier.edu.
Sojourners Vote-Out Poverty Gathering [Monday 28 April @ 7 PM]: The Sojourners Vote-Out Poverty campaign is a strategic plan to make poverty an important issue in Congressional races in 2008 & to put poverty on the political agenda for voters. Come & learn more about the effort. At Rohs Street Cafe, 245 W. McMillan, Clifton Heights, Cincinnati, OH 45219. More info @ vopcincy@gmail.com.
About Numbers, Pictures & Words featuring Dr. Rachel Korazim [Tuesday 29 April]: Rachel Korazim, Academic Director of Distance Learning Program at The Jewish Agency for Israel Department of Education, specializes in Holocaust education, Israel Diaspora Relations, & current Israeli literature. The session will explore the significance these elements have created in our collective memory & will offer alternative ways to remember & commemorate. Free. Sponsored by the Center for Holocaust & Humanity Education. In Mayerson Hall, 3101 Clifton Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45220. More info & RSVP @ 513.487.3055, chhe@huc.edu, & www.holocaustandhumanity.org.
Learn the Metaphysics of "A Course in Miracles" [Wednesday 30 April @ 6-8 PM]: A lecture & discussion about this profound spiritual philosophy & book [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Course_in_Miracles]. Presented by Jeanne Uhl & Mary Claybon. $10 offering. At the Jade Center for the Healing Arts, 9122 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati, OH 45242. More info & registration @ 513.309.8377 & maryfree@cinci.rr.com.
Ongoing Tri-State Treasures
Introductory Course on Buddhism [Saturdays in April @ 2 PM]: Gaden Samdrup Ling Buddhist Monastery is offering a 9-week introductory course on Buddhist philosophy & meditation. It will cover a wide array of subjects including compassion & bodhicitta, interdependence, karma, understanding sufferings, rebirth, the 3 poisons, meditation, & the nature of mind. The course will be very engaging, & will include assignments, discussion & sharing experiences. It will focus on how to incorporate Buddhist teachings into everyday lives to achieve peace & happiness. No previous knowledge of Buddhism is required. This course is part of Joyful Path 2008, a series of events to raise funds for our new monastery project. For this course, a suggested donation of $75 is requested, but not required. All are welcome; registration required; limited space. At GSL Monastery Gaden Samdrup Ling Monastery, 3046 Pavlova Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45251. More info @ 513.385.7116, gsl@ganden.org, & www.ganden.org.
Cincinnati Modern Architecture: Retrospective [thru Saturday 19 April]: Cincinnati Form Follows Function, the Queen City's 1st group devoted to the awareness, education, & preservation of modern design, presents this look back at some of the city's outstanding 20th century architectural treasures. At Park + Vine, 1109 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202. More info @ 513.721.7275, info@parkandvine.com, & www.parkandvine.com.
Beauty Matters Art Show @ United Way [thru Friday 25 April]: United Way invites you to its 2008 Beauty Matters art show. Curated by Danny Brown, the show features the work of 22 acclaimed area artists, working in several media. Many of the artists represented in the show will be attending. A portion of all sales benefits this year's United Way Campaign, courtesy of the artists. At United Way, 2400 Reading Road, Uptown Cincinnati, OH 45202. More info from Deby Davis @ 513.762.7225.
Miami University Italian-American Film Festival [Wednesdays thru – 30 April @ 7:30 PM]: Curated & presented by Professor Sante Matteo. Free & open to the public. In 102 Benton Hall, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056. This venue is a newly refurbished auditorium with very comfortable seating & convenient adjacent parking. It is on the north side of High Street (Route 27 N from Cincinnati) at the intersection of Tallawanda Street. More info & map @ matteos@muohio.edu & www.miami.muohio.edu/about_miami/campusmap/.
Apr 23: Goodfellas (1990, Martin Scorsese)
Apr 30: The Sopranos (episodes from the TV series, David Chase)
Global Lens 2008 Film Series [thru Saturday 3 May]: MainStreet Cinema at the University of Cincinnati is presenting the Global Lens 2008 Film Series. Ten highly-acclaimed films from all over the world. Admission to each film is only $2 with a UC ID or $4 for general public. Or purchase a Series Pass ($10 for students; $15 for public) that admits the bearer to all of the films in the Series as many times as desired. More info of schedule & film descriptions @ www.uc.edu/mainstreet/tuc/tuc_theater_3.html.
Masterpiece Quilts from the Shelburne Museum [thru Sunday 1 June]: Forty of the finest examples of 18th-20th century American quilts from the Shelburne Museum’s permanent collection are on exhibit. The Shelburne is a unique museum, located in Vermont, & founded by Electra Havemeyer Webb, heiress to the Domino Sugar fortune & a pioneering collector of American folk art. The exhibit also includes several dazzling art quilts by Terrie Hancock Mangat who, along with her sister, Becky Hancock, founded St. Theresa Textile Trove in 1994 in Over-the-Rhine (now located on Hamilton Avenue in College Hill). Also featured is a special gift shop connected to the exhibit featuring work of art quilter Leslie Alexandria, who also has 3 contemporary pieces on display in the Art Museum Library. At the Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45202. More info @ 513.639.2995 & www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org (go to 'Exhibitions').
Pure Movement Class [Mondays @ 6:30- 8PM & Wednesdays @ 9:30- 11AM]: Fanchon Shur, Growth In Motion master teacher, guides us to a sense of freedom, strength, flexibility, & expression. Classes offer personal attention to individual alignment for authentic creativity. Four classes for $48 (or $12 per class). Individual classes for $20. First class is free for new students. At 4019 Red Bud Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229. More info @ 513- 221- 3222, fanchon@growthinmotion.org, & www.growthinmotion.org.
Creations Cooking Classes @ the Midwest Culinary Institute [April & May]: Embrace the season. Get your kids & teenagers in the kitchen. Explore the world, savor wine, chocolate, & much more. And do it in MCI’s state-of-the-art kitchens side-by-side with faculty chefs & chefs from some of your favorite restaurants. All cooking classes are hands-on, not just demonstrations. Go online to see MCI's many classes. At Cincinnati State Technical & Community College, 3520 Central Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45223. More info & registration @ 513.569.1643, http://culinary.cincinnatistate.edu/Events/Events.htm.
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Tri-State Treasures is compiled by James Kesner.
— Submit Tri-State Treasures, or request your email address to be added or removed from the list by sending an email to jkesner@nuvox.net; please specify "Tri-State Treasures."
— Email addresses are posted in BlindCopy to protect their identity. Email addresses are not shared, given, or sold without explicit permission from the owner.
— Tri-State Treasures are typically transmitted on Wednesdays; submissions should be received as soon as possible for best probability of being included.
— Please help me by submitting your Tri-State Treasure in the following format; because my time is limited, formatted submissions typically have a better chance of being included in the email transmission. Thank you for your help:
Brief Title of the Treasure [date @ time]: Brief description of the treasure; what is it; why is it wonderful & unique. Cost. Sponsor. Location including address & zip code. More info @ telephone, email, & website.
A Fictitious Example:
Fabulous Film Festival [Friday 3 May @ 8 PM]: The first & best fabulous film festival in the city of Cincinnati will present live-action, documentary, & short films. Blah, blah, blah. Presented by Flicks R Us. Tickets are $8. At The Theatre, 111 Main Street, Cincinnati, OH 45200. More info @ 513.111.2222, info@filmfestival.com, & www.filmfestival.com.
The Lloyd House Salon (usually about 12 people) Meets on WEDNESDAYS at 5:45,
EVERY Wednesday, 52 WEEKS/YEAR come hell or high water, as my mother used to say.
We of the Lloyd House Salon gather in a spirit of
respect, sympathy and compassion for one another
in order to exchange ideas for our mutual pleasure and enlightenment.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Our Salon blog is a promising interactive site: http:lloydhouse.blogspot.com
Also, we have an Interactive Yahoo Salon group, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LloydHouseSalon
For Pot Luck procedures including food suggestions, mission and history visit
http://home.fuse.net/ellenbierhorst/Potluck.html .
You are invited also to visit the Lloyd House website: http://www.lloydhouse.com
> To unsubscribe from the Lloyd House Potluck Salon list, send a REPLY message
> to me and in the SUBJECT line type in "unsub potluck #". In the place of #
> type in the numeral that follows the subject line of my Weekly email. It
> will be 1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7or 8. This tells me which sub-list your name is on so I can
> delete it. Thanks! ellen bierhorst
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