Yesterday, I was luck enough to spend most of the day out doors. I had a light breakfast at the Breugers Coffee shop downtown and was amazed to see the number of runners. I felt abit guilty mothing down a sausage egg and cheese bagel while so many others were trying to slim down.
I then when to work for my firend's landscaping business in the east side of the city. For hours I watched as joggers, dog walkers and speed walkers enjoyed the beautiful weather in their shorts and t-shirts, and with every passer I felt more and more jealous of their fitness achievements.
I know that a few weeks ago I blogged about my self made promise to get back in shape, but since, I have made little effort in make it come to fruition.
Today is the day I start!
I devised a serious plan, consisting of eating right, cutting back on vices and exercises to achieve the body that I had a year ago.
Lets see how long it lasts...
Monday, April 30, 2007
Thursday, April 26, 2007
It's Strange Being In A Good Mood...
Though I did not get into work until this afternoon, I am feeling pretty happy for some reason.
Could it be that I submitted my resignation to my current employer yesterday to take a job at a larger, more prestigious organization?
Naw...that can't be it.
Maybe because I just got accepted to be a freelance writer on BGB, a blog that I have been reading everyday for the past year or so?
I'm still scratching my head.
Maybe because its such a beautiful day outside?
Ohh...its raining...
Well, I guess we all have days like this.
Could it be that I submitted my resignation to my current employer yesterday to take a job at a larger, more prestigious organization?
Naw...that can't be it.
Maybe because I just got accepted to be a freelance writer on BGB, a blog that I have been reading everyday for the past year or so?
I'm still scratching my head.
Maybe because its such a beautiful day outside?
Ohh...its raining...
Well, I guess we all have days like this.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
A New Take On The Super Friends
For many Cincinnatians, as children, I would pass the Union Terminal on my way home and beg my mother if we could go for a visit. Not because of the museum that is housed in it, but because the building bared a striking resemblance to the Hall of Justice used by the Super Friends.
Hall Of Justice
(Somewhere Over The Rainbow)
Union Terminal
(Cincinnati, OH)
As my mother drove past, I would look wondering at the building and try to imagine walking in and finding Superman having a latte with Batman and Wonder Woman, while Aquaman feed the fish and the Marvin and Wonder Dog were in a heated game of Yahtzee.
Needless to say, when I found the following video on YouTube, I could not stop reminiscing.
As my mother drove past, I would look wondering at the building and try to imagine walking in and finding Superman having a latte with Batman and Wonder Woman, while Aquaman feed the fish and the Marvin and Wonder Dog were in a heated game of Yahtzee.
Needless to say, when I found the following video on YouTube, I could not stop reminiscing.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Mother of a teenage boy accused of having sex with son's school mate
According to nky.com:
A Hollywood makeup artist and wife of a one-time Bengals player was arrested Monday on charges she had sexual contact with a high school student during parties at her Villa Hills home.
Jeni Lee Dinkel, 51, pleaded not guilty Monday to one count each of third-degree rape and third-degree sodomy after turning herself in to authorities. The Class D felonies each carry a penalty of one to five years in prison.
When I saw this story in the Cincinnati Enquirer on Monday, I was floored. i went on to read that her son attends school with her accuser. Could you imagine going to school and have your mother being called a "you-know-what"? For this reason, I started to feel sorry for the son attending the private all boys school in Northern Kentucky.
I guess that is just what Dinkel's defence wants you to think. Just read what the defense attorney, Phitzer, put out today in nky.com:
"...Tragically, this is not the biggest problem in their lives," Pitzer said. "Five weeks ago, I was in Mexico with Jeni Lee Dinkel. She got a phone call, and she crumpled to the ground, and I held her while she sobbed uncontrollably, getting the news that her son, Alex, had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. She was immediately back in Cincinnati, did not leave Alex's side for the entire time he was in Children's Hospital, where he spent 11 hours on an operating table.
"Thankfully, he is back in school," Pitzer said of Dinkel's son. "It's miraculous but his recovery is dependent, more than anything else, the surgeons tell us, (on) his psychological attitude. And Jeni is doing her level best, as is her husband, Tom (a former Bengals linebacker), as is Alex's sister, Taylor, as are all his friends, to try to keep (Alex) feeling as good as he can, so he can, in fact, survive.''
Question 1: Why was Dinkel's attorney vacationing with her?
A Hollywood makeup artist and wife of a one-time Bengals player was arrested Monday on charges she had sexual contact with a high school student during parties at her Villa Hills home.
Jeni Lee Dinkel, 51, pleaded not guilty Monday to one count each of third-degree rape and third-degree sodomy after turning herself in to authorities. The Class D felonies each carry a penalty of one to five years in prison.
When I saw this story in the Cincinnati Enquirer on Monday, I was floored. i went on to read that her son attends school with her accuser. Could you imagine going to school and have your mother being called a "you-know-what"? For this reason, I started to feel sorry for the son attending the private all boys school in Northern Kentucky.
I guess that is just what Dinkel's defence wants you to think. Just read what the defense attorney, Phitzer, put out today in nky.com:
"...Tragically, this is not the biggest problem in their lives," Pitzer said. "Five weeks ago, I was in Mexico with Jeni Lee Dinkel. She got a phone call, and she crumpled to the ground, and I held her while she sobbed uncontrollably, getting the news that her son, Alex, had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. She was immediately back in Cincinnati, did not leave Alex's side for the entire time he was in Children's Hospital, where he spent 11 hours on an operating table.
"Thankfully, he is back in school," Pitzer said of Dinkel's son. "It's miraculous but his recovery is dependent, more than anything else, the surgeons tell us, (on) his psychological attitude. And Jeni is doing her level best, as is her husband, Tom (a former Bengals linebacker), as is Alex's sister, Taylor, as are all his friends, to try to keep (Alex) feeling as good as he can, so he can, in fact, survive.''
Question 1: Why was Dinkel's attorney vacationing with her?
Question 2: Why can't a make-up artist perform pro bono work our her council?
Friday, April 13, 2007
Thoughts of a Younger Me: Definition of Maleness
Maleness, masculinity -- the properties characteristic of the male sex
Masculinity
[n] The trait of behaving in ways considered typical for men
[n] The properties characteristic of the male sex
Manhood
[n] The state of being a man; manly qualities
Masculinity
[n] The trait of behaving in ways considered typical for men
[n] The properties characteristic of the male sex
Manhood
[n] The state of being a man; manly qualities
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The three definitions above are all textbook definitions of the terms that we were assigned to define for today’s assignment. Even after reading the definitions, I don't feel that I still have a good idea what I think that these words mean, so I am going to come up with my own definition for each.
The first definition that we will look at is Maleness. The above definition states that maleness is the characteristic of the male sex. Characteristics of the male sex are determined by the culture that one has grown up in. In my culture and in my background, some characteristics of being male are being tough and unafraid. Men and boys are not supposed to be afraid of the dark, and we are supposed to kill spiders and other little critters. Men are supposed to help the female sex and never lay a hand on them in violence. Men are also supposed to be smart and help others when they need help. Men are also supposed to be the head of your household and make more money than thier wife. Men are supposed to have kids and live with a woman. That is my definition of maleness.
The next definition that I want to look at is the definition of masculinity. The above definition states that masculinity is the trait of behaving in ways considered typical for men. The definition also goes on to say that manhood is also the property characteristic of the male sex. I feel that maleness and masculinity are synonyms with each other. They mean the exact same things in my eyes.
The last definition that I am going to look at is the definition of manhood. The definition above states that manhood is the state of being a man; manly qualities. This term seems to be very similar to the term of masculinity, but I think that it is a little different. Manhood is a state of being which is different from masculinity. Even though the definitions are very similar in my eyes, the way that you talk about each one is very different. Manhood is a way that you carry yourself, more like an ego. Masculinity is simply just the traits to describe your manhood.
I do feel that being make is a privilege. I don't feel that I am privileged because I am a male though. I think that being male is a privilege in our society because men are stronger then woman, but on the other hand, woman are considered smarter than men. I think that being male is a privilege because our society tells us so. Look at college basketball. The men's college basketball teams at our University get so much more publicity and a greater turnout than the women's teams. Not that girls are any less athletic than men, it's just because I feel that men are privileged.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Thoughts of a Younger ME: Why People Are Racist
In cleaning out my old 3 1/2 inch floppy disk and converting all the needed information onto my flash drive, I came across a number of my writing assignments when I was an African-American (AFAM) Studies major at the University of Cincinnati during the years of 2002 and 2003. I thought I would post a few of those old writings just as a reminder of my progression (to the eye of the beholder) in my writing ability. After reading this following piece, I would like to know if you think I succeeded in getting my point across. After I re-read this piece, I am not sure that I did.
Why People Are Racist
People have been trying to analyze the reason why people are racist for a number of years now. They have also tried many different ways to measure the level of racism in schools and in the workplace. The conclusions from these types of studies have lead to many different hypothesis. One of those hypothesis has lead to the answer of hate. Other hypothesis have lead to other causes of racism such as ignorance of the unknown. I believe that the arguments that has lead to the figuring out of both causes are valid, but there is a prevailing reason that I feel which stands out more than all of them and that is the struggle for power.
Mankind has an undeniable history of struggling for power. Many scientist even believe that the struggle for power is an innate thing that is embedded into the psyche of the human mind.
Whether it was the struggle for power over land, natural resources or simply the human mind. These people that were trying to gain power thought that it would be easier to do so if they justified their reasoning for gaining power and why the other group did not deserve to have any. This way it would be easier to make the lower class people believe that they were not entitled to the power, making the power hungry people's job a lot easier. Some groups in power looked at many different criteria to justify the haves and the have-nots, like class designations, living conditions, living areas, family lineage and physical characteristics.
This determination to the accessibility to power, today, has manifested into the designation of power based on race. We commonly call this racism. Through out the history of the United States, we have seen the group with a lot of power (whites) continue to persecute those with seemingly no power (African Americans) so that power could stay in the hands of the whites and out of the hands of the African Americans.
The first evidence of this accrued during the slave period that was witnessed in the United States. During this time period, it was illegal for slaves to be given the skills that would enable them to gain power later on in life. African Americans were not allowed to learn how to read, or even go to school. They were banned from having their young masters and mistresses teaching them the things that they learned at school, and were beaten and even killed if they were found to be learning to read. A reason why slaves were persecuted for learning how to read because it was very easy to tell whom where not able to partake in these adventures because the difference in skin color in whites and African Americans were so noticeable.
Another area where evidence of whites being racist because of their need for power is seen during the Civil Rights Era of the 1950’s and 1960’s here in the United States. African Americans implemented a massive effort to gain power with the right to vote and the integration of schools, but were continually thwarted because whites did not want them to have the power to do so.
Racism can be many things. It could be name calling, discrimination, have a person purposely give you incorrect information, but the underlying thing that makes an action racist is if it is done primarily because of your race and it causes you to not have power and the other person to have power.
Why People Are Racist
People have been trying to analyze the reason why people are racist for a number of years now. They have also tried many different ways to measure the level of racism in schools and in the workplace. The conclusions from these types of studies have lead to many different hypothesis. One of those hypothesis has lead to the answer of hate. Other hypothesis have lead to other causes of racism such as ignorance of the unknown. I believe that the arguments that has lead to the figuring out of both causes are valid, but there is a prevailing reason that I feel which stands out more than all of them and that is the struggle for power.
Mankind has an undeniable history of struggling for power. Many scientist even believe that the struggle for power is an innate thing that is embedded into the psyche of the human mind.
Whether it was the struggle for power over land, natural resources or simply the human mind. These people that were trying to gain power thought that it would be easier to do so if they justified their reasoning for gaining power and why the other group did not deserve to have any. This way it would be easier to make the lower class people believe that they were not entitled to the power, making the power hungry people's job a lot easier. Some groups in power looked at many different criteria to justify the haves and the have-nots, like class designations, living conditions, living areas, family lineage and physical characteristics.
This determination to the accessibility to power, today, has manifested into the designation of power based on race. We commonly call this racism. Through out the history of the United States, we have seen the group with a lot of power (whites) continue to persecute those with seemingly no power (African Americans) so that power could stay in the hands of the whites and out of the hands of the African Americans.
The first evidence of this accrued during the slave period that was witnessed in the United States. During this time period, it was illegal for slaves to be given the skills that would enable them to gain power later on in life. African Americans were not allowed to learn how to read, or even go to school. They were banned from having their young masters and mistresses teaching them the things that they learned at school, and were beaten and even killed if they were found to be learning to read. A reason why slaves were persecuted for learning how to read because it was very easy to tell whom where not able to partake in these adventures because the difference in skin color in whites and African Americans were so noticeable.
Another area where evidence of whites being racist because of their need for power is seen during the Civil Rights Era of the 1950’s and 1960’s here in the United States. African Americans implemented a massive effort to gain power with the right to vote and the integration of schools, but were continually thwarted because whites did not want them to have the power to do so.
Racism can be many things. It could be name calling, discrimination, have a person purposely give you incorrect information, but the underlying thing that makes an action racist is if it is done primarily because of your race and it causes you to not have power and the other person to have power.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Nazi's In OTR
You have got to be kidding me!
Did the City of Cincinnati not learn anything with the (pho) riots of 2001? What about the incised distrust of Cincinnati's finest by the city's African American community?
Of course I am speaking of the neo (new) NAZI groups petitioning to march in Over-The-Rhine. For those who are reading from out of town, Over-The-Rhine is a predominately African American section of the city, located downtown, and where the notorious Cincinnati Riots of 2001 took place.
Given both of these volatile events, we know what is going to occur. Do you think the residents of OTR are going to stand by and just LET this group walk their streets? How soon do we forget about the last time that this groups tried to spread their word in a predominately African American community. I thought hind sight was supposed to be 20/20?
The sad thing is, the same reason that I am able to place my thoughts in this forum is the same reason that Cincinnati may have to grant permission for this groups to walk the streets. Because of this, I call for a boycott of this group's march. Let's all ignore it. Let the fools march the streets. The only reason why they want to march in the heart of the African American community is that they know that they will cause civil unrest.
Let us not give them that satisfaction. Let them march peacefully through the streets and let us not bat an eye and let us not waste the energy to turn our heads. We should show them that the days of incoherent Rodney King beaten-like mayhem have passed and we have socially evolved to a people who can speak with our minds and not our fists.
I know that it may be an oxymoron for me to suggest this but still spend the time to place this matter on my blog, but the word must get out some how.
Did the City of Cincinnati not learn anything with the (pho) riots of 2001? What about the incised distrust of Cincinnati's finest by the city's African American community?
Of course I am speaking of the neo (new) NAZI groups petitioning to march in Over-The-Rhine. For those who are reading from out of town, Over-The-Rhine is a predominately African American section of the city, located downtown, and where the notorious Cincinnati Riots of 2001 took place.
Given both of these volatile events, we know what is going to occur. Do you think the residents of OTR are going to stand by and just LET this group walk their streets? How soon do we forget about the last time that this groups tried to spread their word in a predominately African American community. I thought hind sight was supposed to be 20/20?
The sad thing is, the same reason that I am able to place my thoughts in this forum is the same reason that Cincinnati may have to grant permission for this groups to walk the streets. Because of this, I call for a boycott of this group's march. Let's all ignore it. Let the fools march the streets. The only reason why they want to march in the heart of the African American community is that they know that they will cause civil unrest.
Let us not give them that satisfaction. Let them march peacefully through the streets and let us not bat an eye and let us not waste the energy to turn our heads. We should show them that the days of incoherent Rodney King beaten-like mayhem have passed and we have socially evolved to a people who can speak with our minds and not our fists.
I know that it may be an oxymoron for me to suggest this but still spend the time to place this matter on my blog, but the word must get out some how.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
"Pride" Dive's Into The Running
I know what you are thinking...a movie about a Black swim team? Most of us can not even swim, and when we do learn how to swim, swimming pools are so far and few between where most of us live, that preparation to compete is out of the question. Not to mention the fact that the slightly extra bone density that African American posses is not conducive of producing a good swimmer. I just thought back to when I learned how to swim, and one of the exercises was to float in water. Needless to say, only my head stayed a float and I could not understand why.
So I could imagine what people thought of an all African American Swim team back in 1974. That is what Terrence Howard's current film is about. I ventured 'across the water' to AMC theatres at Newport on the Levee to see the movie Pride and was surprised when my friend and I were the ONLY PEOPLE IN THE ENTIRE THEATRE!
So I could imagine what people thought of an all African American Swim team back in 1974. That is what Terrence Howard's current film is about. I ventured 'across the water' to AMC theatres at Newport on the Levee to see the movie Pride and was surprised when my friend and I were the ONLY PEOPLE IN THE ENTIRE THEATRE!
Most of the film takes place in Philadelphia, where Howard's character fights the odds by inspiring a Black community and a White elite swim team to embrace a poor African American swim team. By doing this, Howard's character manages to save a community center as well.
It was great to see Kimberly Elise (Set It Off and Beloved) play opposite of Howard, though her true acting ability did not shine through, safe for one emotional scene, it was good to see her on the big screen again. Bernie Mac, was true to is House Party days (where he played the wise-cracking Unle Vester), playing the older, wittingly cynical father figure who had has an uncanny knack for 'telling it like it is'. Tom Arnold makes a surprising appearance in the film as the rival swim team's coach. Kudos to Tom for taking on this project, it not like he had anything else to do.
Though this may not be a movie to go see on a Friday night, I would not recommend waiting to see this once its on DVD. Go out and support this feel good movie so that poor saps like my friend and I are not the only ones sitting in the movie theatre...lol
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Another Great Opening Day Pitch
Of course I am not being truthful. I am talking about the off-kilter opening pitch performed by our fair Mayor Mark Mallory.
At any other game, this pitch probably would not have made some of the national blogs that I read, but because this is the Opening Day pitch here in Cincinnati, home of the Reds, the nation's very first baseball team, it is kind of a big deal.
When I read the Cincinnati Enquirer's front page story detailing the Mayors throw, I thought to myself that it could not be that bad, just a little to the outside, nothing more.
Yet again, I was wrong.
Make sure you watch Eric Davis' face after the mayor throws the ball.
At any other game, this pitch probably would not have made some of the national blogs that I read, but because this is the Opening Day pitch here in Cincinnati, home of the Reds, the nation's very first baseball team, it is kind of a big deal.
When I read the Cincinnati Enquirer's front page story detailing the Mayors throw, I thought to myself that it could not be that bad, just a little to the outside, nothing more.
Yet again, I was wrong.
Make sure you watch Eric Davis' face after the mayor throws the ball.
Monday, April 02, 2007
Spring Is In The Air...
Spring is in the air, so we all know what is around the corner....
Swimsuits and pool side fun.
I have taken most of the winter off from the gym, so you could imagine the state of this so far. Today is one of the warmest days of the year (though the weather should be about 20 degrees cooler) so you can imagine the multitude of people showing off the work that they have done to their bodies during the cold winter months. (Show offs)
No matter, I will not let the ugly head of jealousy rear its head. I really can not complain too much, it my own fault that I have let myself go all winter long.
When I saw these pics from johnandersen.com, they were the proverbial "straw that broke the camel's back".
Swimsuits and pool side fun.
I have taken most of the winter off from the gym, so you could imagine the state of this so far. Today is one of the warmest days of the year (though the weather should be about 20 degrees cooler) so you can imagine the multitude of people showing off the work that they have done to their bodies during the cold winter months. (Show offs)
No matter, I will not let the ugly head of jealousy rear its head. I really can not complain too much, it my own fault that I have let myself go all winter long.
When I saw these pics from johnandersen.com, they were the proverbial "straw that broke the camel's back".
I am making a pact to get back in shape. Eating healthier coupled with normal sized portions will no longer be an oddity and my normal after work motif will be some sort of physical exercise rather than bellied up to the television watching the day's installment of Hollywood news. My vices will turn to more of an oddity than commonplace (come on now, a boi has got to live).In this endeavor I may need some help. The good new is the most of the people around me are either vegetarians or are goal oriented in eating healthy. The only thing that may hinder me is that none of my friends that I hang out with on a regular basis are very physically active....I guess I can get past that.
Wish me luck!
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Army Recruiters: The Other White Meat
I know, the title of this post does not make too much sense, but hopefully it got you to click on the link.
The following news story is just another bad example of use of common sense:
published Tuesday, March 27, 2007 on Gay.com
A man who posted his resume on the job-seeking Web site CareerBuilder.com became involved in a spiteful e-mail exchange with an Army recruiter who was interested in hiring him before finding out he was gay.
Recruiting Sgt. Marcia Ramode fired off several messages to New Jersey resident Corey Andrew for three days after he told her he was not interested in joining the military because of its "don't ask, don't tell" policy, the Jersey Journal of Jersey City, N.J., reported Monday.
She told Andrew, who is black, "Go back to Africa and do your gay voodoo limbo tango and wango dance and jump around and prance and run all over the place half naked there."
She also told Andrew, using her military e-mail address, that being gay is immoral and that he must be "a total idiot and so stupid to presume that you do not know what gender you are."
Andrew fired back, according to the article, criticizing her poor grammar and spelling. He also took a jab at her admitted Native American heritage, writing, "So take that to your next rain dance."
Ramode's actions are under review by the Army Recruiting Command's staff judge advocate.
The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network on Tuesday called for Ramode's dismissal.
"Sgt. Ramode's comments were insulting and inflammatory to all troops now serving in our armed forces," said C. Dixon Osburn, executive director of the group.
"Individuals from all racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds, as well as those who are lesbian, gay and bisexual, serve in our armed forces. This diversity not only reflects the diversity of our nation, but it also strengthens the military might of our armed forces. There is absolutely no place in our military for intolerance and bigotry." (The Advocate)
The situation for homosexuals serving in the US military has changed abit since the days that I entered the military. Come to think of it, I was actually asked if I was gay or not by my recruiter. This was after Clinton's "Don't Ask Don't Tell" went into affect.
By serving 4 years in this homophobic government agency, I know that there is still a long way to go, but imagine my disgust when I read the previous article.
It is sad to say, but I think the more that crazy recruiters like this are exposed to the public, the more that the US will see how much of an insult it is to gay service men and women who have to hide in the closet while voluntarily placing their life on the line for our country.
The following news story is just another bad example of use of common sense:
published Tuesday, March 27, 2007 on Gay.com
A man who posted his resume on the job-seeking Web site CareerBuilder.com became involved in a spiteful e-mail exchange with an Army recruiter who was interested in hiring him before finding out he was gay.
Recruiting Sgt. Marcia Ramode fired off several messages to New Jersey resident Corey Andrew for three days after he told her he was not interested in joining the military because of its "don't ask, don't tell" policy, the Jersey Journal of Jersey City, N.J., reported Monday.
She told Andrew, who is black, "Go back to Africa and do your gay voodoo limbo tango and wango dance and jump around and prance and run all over the place half naked there."
She also told Andrew, using her military e-mail address, that being gay is immoral and that he must be "a total idiot and so stupid to presume that you do not know what gender you are."
Andrew fired back, according to the article, criticizing her poor grammar and spelling. He also took a jab at her admitted Native American heritage, writing, "So take that to your next rain dance."
Ramode's actions are under review by the Army Recruiting Command's staff judge advocate.
The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network on Tuesday called for Ramode's dismissal.
"Sgt. Ramode's comments were insulting and inflammatory to all troops now serving in our armed forces," said C. Dixon Osburn, executive director of the group.
"Individuals from all racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds, as well as those who are lesbian, gay and bisexual, serve in our armed forces. This diversity not only reflects the diversity of our nation, but it also strengthens the military might of our armed forces. There is absolutely no place in our military for intolerance and bigotry." (The Advocate)
The situation for homosexuals serving in the US military has changed abit since the days that I entered the military. Come to think of it, I was actually asked if I was gay or not by my recruiter. This was after Clinton's "Don't Ask Don't Tell" went into affect.
By serving 4 years in this homophobic government agency, I know that there is still a long way to go, but imagine my disgust when I read the previous article.
It is sad to say, but I think the more that crazy recruiters like this are exposed to the public, the more that the US will see how much of an insult it is to gay service men and women who have to hide in the closet while voluntarily placing their life on the line for our country.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Cincinnati Park Board Unveils New Plan
Last year I sat in on a lectured at the Civic Garden Center presented by a government official from Chicago who was in charge of "green-up" the city. To my surprise, she commented on how well kept our city parks were.
I know that those things were good for something.
Of course I am kidding.
I love going to all the parks here in the city. Eden and Ault Park are great for running.
So I just wanted to let you guys know that if you are interested in the future of Cincinnati Parks and the Cincinnati Park Board, please come to the unveiling of the Cincinnati Park Board's Centennial Master Plan tonight. The unveiling/public meeting is from 6:30-8:30 at the Krohn Conservatory in Eden Park.
It's an exciting time for the Cincinnati Park Board. This year the Park Board is celebrating the 100 year anniversary of it's first parks master plan (completed in 1907 by George Kessler) and the inception of the Park Board of Commissioners!
I know that those things were good for something.
Of course I am kidding.
I love going to all the parks here in the city. Eden and Ault Park are great for running.
So I just wanted to let you guys know that if you are interested in the future of Cincinnati Parks and the Cincinnati Park Board, please come to the unveiling of the Cincinnati Park Board's Centennial Master Plan tonight. The unveiling/public meeting is from 6:30-8:30 at the Krohn Conservatory in Eden Park.
It's an exciting time for the Cincinnati Park Board. This year the Park Board is celebrating the 100 year anniversary of it's first parks master plan (completed in 1907 by George Kessler) and the inception of the Park Board of Commissioners!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Jazz In Covington (Article Published in The Covingtonian-2007 Edition)
Jazz In Covington
By Kareem A. Simpson
Telling people that you were born and raised in a city like Covington, Kentucky, people from other parts of the United States are more prone to ask the number of cows that you had on your farm. Surprisingly, Covington is a jewel all unto itself. When one starts to conjure words about Covington, Kentucky, many descriptions float to the tip of one’s tongue. If you are a visitor from out of town, you may only see Covington as a thorough fare to get to Cincinnati from the airport or simply, Cincinnati’s southern sister city. During the time when the United States enlisted to believe that slavery was economical, to African Americans, Covington was a welcomed stop.
This was because the slaves knew that the free state of Ohio was just across the water. Those of us, who have lived in Covington for most of our lives, conjure different adjectives depicting this northern Kentucky city. Instead of describing this city with supercilious adjectives, some may bring to mind some of Covington’s prize positions like The Madison Theatre on Madison Ave or Saint Mary’s Cathedral located a few block south. Though long gone, some may reminisce about the Latonia Race Track and there many, including myself who can call Holmes High School, the only public high school in Covington, al ma mater.
To lovers of jazz music, Covington was and still is the bedding ground for some of the most of the successful musicians of our time. Music is a large part of many people’s lives. Though pop and rap lyrics have largely popularized the Billboard charts over the past few decades, there has been several type of music that have stood the test of time. One of those statuesque musical art forms is jazz.
At the start of each calendar year, we are all busy with wrapping up lose ends left by the holidays while trying to re-charge our lives by just thinking of the upcoming New Year. Very seldom do people see this time of year as a period for reflection, or looking into our past. In retaliation to this time of year’s urgency to look forward, with jazz’s beginnings is where we will begin.
The true origins of jazz have been disputed over the years, but most musicians and lover of the craft believe that this style of music spawned from the combination of African and Western traditional music. More specifically, the clash of New England hymns and European music with the spirituals, blues and ragtime music originating from West African people. The musical style of ragtime morphed into jazz in the 1920’s due to many factors including the onslaught of World War I and the popularity of railroad travel as opposed to traveling via riverboat. With Ragtime being the popular entertainment on riverboats and Cincinnati being a riverboat town, The Queen City was a perfect breeding place for jazz once it became popular. Fats Waller, a talented pianist with a knack improvisation made waves in Cincinnati in radio long before he went on to popularity with the songs like "Keepin' Out of Mischief Now", "Ain't Misbehavin'”, "Blue Turning Grey Over You", "Honeysuckle Rose", the piano cutting piece, "Handful of Keys", "I've Got a Feeling I'm Falling", and "Jitterbug Waltz". Some would even go as far as to comment that Cincinnati’s Cotton Club, rivaled its New York City sister entertainment club bearing the same name. The Cincinnati version of the jazz club hosted the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Dixie Lee, Kid Draper and Billie Holiday.
There are few people currently who could provide first hand accounts of Cincinnati’s jazz hay day, but one Covingtonian was there and found himself nestled in the midst of the great musicians and singers who traveled around Cincinnati during this grand time. In his book My Life In Jazz, Nelson. Burton recounts his life long love of music and how it fostered his childhood in Covington, KY. Growing up on 9th Street on the east side of Covington, through My Life, Mr. Burton tells us the story of his youth by speaking of times when he sneak away from his house while his mother though him to be asleep and creep through the back of a local jazz club on his street. Once there, he would listen to famous musicians such as Fats Waller.
Like in most African American areas of major metropolitan areas during this period, juke joints, hot spots and speak easy came and went with the frequency of a riverboat floating on the Ohio River, so very few of are documented to have existed in Covington. Mr. Burton did mention that his musical partner Clarence Washington (A.K.A. Tubby), after they both toured the United States with Jack Johnson and the Jumpin’ Jacks, returned to Covington and open The Corner Pocket at the corner of 9th and Greenup Streets in Covington.
In his own right, during his career Nelson Burton established himself as an excellent performer by providing drums for the accompaniment of many outstanding and successful vocal artists of all time. As stated before, Burton was born into humble beginnings in Covington, KY. And though loosing his father at a young age, Burton watched as his mother worked long hours to support him and his family. It is inferred from My Life that his mother’s gumption, coupled with his own intelligence and his love of fancy clothes, Burton set out to help the family, by finding odd jobs as a teenager. Though most of Burton’s opportunities were found across the river in Cincinnati, Burton retells the story of a cow floating in right into his work area while he was a dishwasher at Booth Hospital, located in Covington’s historic Riverside neighborhood during the flood of 1937. Though not having to worry about a lack of intelligence, Burton never managed to graduate high school. Despite this, he was able to attend Kentucky State University, a historically African American university located in Frankfort, KY, on a football scholarship. With a wife and child to support at the time, Burton decided to for go his career in academia to follow his passion for music, which provided a more stable and immediate source of income.
My Life goes on to depict the music scene of Cincinnati in the 1930’s. A bustling, pork driven town, the city of Flying Pigs also was a music-filled metropolis, enhanced with a sense of history and grandeur, though crippled by a distinctive division between the races. Burton recounted that Vine Street, a street in downtown Cincinnati that still runs North and South, separated the African American part of the downtown Cincinnati area from the white part. If you were an African American musician looking for a playing gig, you would have better luck spending your time “at the rail” outside of the Cotton Club on the east side of Vine. Later in life, Burton traveled the country with Jack Johnson and the Jumpin’ Jacks. Though his travel kept him away from his family, with the Jacks, Burton was able to perform with such musical greats as Nat ‘King’ Cole.
Although Nelson Burton no longer resides in Covington, the love and passion for the art of jazz has not strode far from this far city. Some would go as far as to say that it had never left. Covington currently boasts a number of jazz venues that would rival Cincinnati’s former Cotton Club. One example can be found with the restaurant Dee Felice, located on the corner of 6th and Main Streets in Covington’s historic Mainstrasse district. Since 1984, Dee Felice has provided both food to fill your stomach and music to tickle your ears. Such noted singers as Mark Murphy have graced the stage at this establishment. Other noted musicians include Ed Schonessy, from the Tonight Show during Johnny Carson’s era, and Bill Gimmer who played in the Count Bassie Band. Local favorites include Kenny Poole, Bill Berry and Frank Vincent. With a performance scheduled every night except Tuesday, Dee Felice announces the fact that on any given evening, you can see couples having a quiet dinner and listening to a great jazz band or you can find music students experiencing their craft.
Just across Main Street, Chez Nora restaurant marches to the beat of a similar drummer. Just over five years after they expanded and added a rooftop performance area, Chez Nora has hosted many jazz performers to include local favorite Rickey Nye and the John Zappa Quartet. Making continuous move into the future by turning an old strip club into a restaurant/club, The Ave is Covington’s newest jazz establishment. Located just south of 4th Street on Madison Ave, The Ave hopes to broaden their repertoire of musical guests in the upcoming year.
As with Ragtime, time has caused Jazz to produced offshoots of its original form, from Swing and Be-bop to current day crooners such as Jill Scott and Norah Jones. As a Covingtonian by birth and heart, it is wonderful to think that those who have cut their teeth in the craft of music in this fair city had such a great influence on today’s music. A note to lovers of jazz, men like Nelson Burton should be saluted. There are more men like him than you think.
By Kareem A. Simpson
Telling people that you were born and raised in a city like Covington, Kentucky, people from other parts of the United States are more prone to ask the number of cows that you had on your farm. Surprisingly, Covington is a jewel all unto itself. When one starts to conjure words about Covington, Kentucky, many descriptions float to the tip of one’s tongue. If you are a visitor from out of town, you may only see Covington as a thorough fare to get to Cincinnati from the airport or simply, Cincinnati’s southern sister city. During the time when the United States enlisted to believe that slavery was economical, to African Americans, Covington was a welcomed stop.
This was because the slaves knew that the free state of Ohio was just across the water. Those of us, who have lived in Covington for most of our lives, conjure different adjectives depicting this northern Kentucky city. Instead of describing this city with supercilious adjectives, some may bring to mind some of Covington’s prize positions like The Madison Theatre on Madison Ave or Saint Mary’s Cathedral located a few block south. Though long gone, some may reminisce about the Latonia Race Track and there many, including myself who can call Holmes High School, the only public high school in Covington, al ma mater.
To lovers of jazz music, Covington was and still is the bedding ground for some of the most of the successful musicians of our time. Music is a large part of many people’s lives. Though pop and rap lyrics have largely popularized the Billboard charts over the past few decades, there has been several type of music that have stood the test of time. One of those statuesque musical art forms is jazz.
At the start of each calendar year, we are all busy with wrapping up lose ends left by the holidays while trying to re-charge our lives by just thinking of the upcoming New Year. Very seldom do people see this time of year as a period for reflection, or looking into our past. In retaliation to this time of year’s urgency to look forward, with jazz’s beginnings is where we will begin.
The true origins of jazz have been disputed over the years, but most musicians and lover of the craft believe that this style of music spawned from the combination of African and Western traditional music. More specifically, the clash of New England hymns and European music with the spirituals, blues and ragtime music originating from West African people. The musical style of ragtime morphed into jazz in the 1920’s due to many factors including the onslaught of World War I and the popularity of railroad travel as opposed to traveling via riverboat. With Ragtime being the popular entertainment on riverboats and Cincinnati being a riverboat town, The Queen City was a perfect breeding place for jazz once it became popular. Fats Waller, a talented pianist with a knack improvisation made waves in Cincinnati in radio long before he went on to popularity with the songs like "Keepin' Out of Mischief Now", "Ain't Misbehavin'”, "Blue Turning Grey Over You", "Honeysuckle Rose", the piano cutting piece, "Handful of Keys", "I've Got a Feeling I'm Falling", and "Jitterbug Waltz". Some would even go as far as to comment that Cincinnati’s Cotton Club, rivaled its New York City sister entertainment club bearing the same name. The Cincinnati version of the jazz club hosted the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Dixie Lee, Kid Draper and Billie Holiday.
There are few people currently who could provide first hand accounts of Cincinnati’s jazz hay day, but one Covingtonian was there and found himself nestled in the midst of the great musicians and singers who traveled around Cincinnati during this grand time. In his book My Life In Jazz, Nelson. Burton recounts his life long love of music and how it fostered his childhood in Covington, KY. Growing up on 9th Street on the east side of Covington, through My Life, Mr. Burton tells us the story of his youth by speaking of times when he sneak away from his house while his mother though him to be asleep and creep through the back of a local jazz club on his street. Once there, he would listen to famous musicians such as Fats Waller.
Like in most African American areas of major metropolitan areas during this period, juke joints, hot spots and speak easy came and went with the frequency of a riverboat floating on the Ohio River, so very few of are documented to have existed in Covington. Mr. Burton did mention that his musical partner Clarence Washington (A.K.A. Tubby), after they both toured the United States with Jack Johnson and the Jumpin’ Jacks, returned to Covington and open The Corner Pocket at the corner of 9th and Greenup Streets in Covington.
In his own right, during his career Nelson Burton established himself as an excellent performer by providing drums for the accompaniment of many outstanding and successful vocal artists of all time. As stated before, Burton was born into humble beginnings in Covington, KY. And though loosing his father at a young age, Burton watched as his mother worked long hours to support him and his family. It is inferred from My Life that his mother’s gumption, coupled with his own intelligence and his love of fancy clothes, Burton set out to help the family, by finding odd jobs as a teenager. Though most of Burton’s opportunities were found across the river in Cincinnati, Burton retells the story of a cow floating in right into his work area while he was a dishwasher at Booth Hospital, located in Covington’s historic Riverside neighborhood during the flood of 1937. Though not having to worry about a lack of intelligence, Burton never managed to graduate high school. Despite this, he was able to attend Kentucky State University, a historically African American university located in Frankfort, KY, on a football scholarship. With a wife and child to support at the time, Burton decided to for go his career in academia to follow his passion for music, which provided a more stable and immediate source of income.
My Life goes on to depict the music scene of Cincinnati in the 1930’s. A bustling, pork driven town, the city of Flying Pigs also was a music-filled metropolis, enhanced with a sense of history and grandeur, though crippled by a distinctive division between the races. Burton recounted that Vine Street, a street in downtown Cincinnati that still runs North and South, separated the African American part of the downtown Cincinnati area from the white part. If you were an African American musician looking for a playing gig, you would have better luck spending your time “at the rail” outside of the Cotton Club on the east side of Vine. Later in life, Burton traveled the country with Jack Johnson and the Jumpin’ Jacks. Though his travel kept him away from his family, with the Jacks, Burton was able to perform with such musical greats as Nat ‘King’ Cole.
Although Nelson Burton no longer resides in Covington, the love and passion for the art of jazz has not strode far from this far city. Some would go as far as to say that it had never left. Covington currently boasts a number of jazz venues that would rival Cincinnati’s former Cotton Club. One example can be found with the restaurant Dee Felice, located on the corner of 6th and Main Streets in Covington’s historic Mainstrasse district. Since 1984, Dee Felice has provided both food to fill your stomach and music to tickle your ears. Such noted singers as Mark Murphy have graced the stage at this establishment. Other noted musicians include Ed Schonessy, from the Tonight Show during Johnny Carson’s era, and Bill Gimmer who played in the Count Bassie Band. Local favorites include Kenny Poole, Bill Berry and Frank Vincent. With a performance scheduled every night except Tuesday, Dee Felice announces the fact that on any given evening, you can see couples having a quiet dinner and listening to a great jazz band or you can find music students experiencing their craft.
Just across Main Street, Chez Nora restaurant marches to the beat of a similar drummer. Just over five years after they expanded and added a rooftop performance area, Chez Nora has hosted many jazz performers to include local favorite Rickey Nye and the John Zappa Quartet. Making continuous move into the future by turning an old strip club into a restaurant/club, The Ave is Covington’s newest jazz establishment. Located just south of 4th Street on Madison Ave, The Ave hopes to broaden their repertoire of musical guests in the upcoming year.
As with Ragtime, time has caused Jazz to produced offshoots of its original form, from Swing and Be-bop to current day crooners such as Jill Scott and Norah Jones. As a Covingtonian by birth and heart, it is wonderful to think that those who have cut their teeth in the craft of music in this fair city had such a great influence on today’s music. A note to lovers of jazz, men like Nelson Burton should be saluted. There are more men like him than you think.
Monday, March 19, 2007
4th Year of War....What Have We Accomplished?
It was a bright and clear day in Cincinnati on the morning of September 11th, 2001. I was feeling particularly good that morning for some reason. I walked in to my student aid job in the Veterans Certification Office at the University of Cincinnati and began my daily routine of making sure that vets returning to school were getting paid.
As I just completed another veteran's file, my student co-worker walked into the office and announce, "A plane had just flown into the World Trade Center!" Me being the skeptic that I am, I immediately retorted, "How can that be? There isn't a runway in that part of the city." Too my surprise, he was correct. Of course I am depicting the dreadful morning that terrorist made the mistake of causing harm to the citizens of the United States.
Just a few weeks after this attack on American soil, we attacked land on the other side of the world in efforts to "get back" at those who caused so much grief in the hearts of Americans. There have been many theories as to why this all came about, but like with most theories pertaining to politics, most of them are unfounded.
Today marks the 4 year anniversary of Prez Bush sending our boys (and girls) half way across the world, into harms way. OF course, being an Army Vet, I only see the horrors of sending our men and women into war. Is there anyone out there who think our war is a good idea? I want to hear from you.
As I just completed another veteran's file, my student co-worker walked into the office and announce, "A plane had just flown into the World Trade Center!" Me being the skeptic that I am, I immediately retorted, "How can that be? There isn't a runway in that part of the city." Too my surprise, he was correct. Of course I am depicting the dreadful morning that terrorist made the mistake of causing harm to the citizens of the United States.
Just a few weeks after this attack on American soil, we attacked land on the other side of the world in efforts to "get back" at those who caused so much grief in the hearts of Americans. There have been many theories as to why this all came about, but like with most theories pertaining to politics, most of them are unfounded.
Today marks the 4 year anniversary of Prez Bush sending our boys (and girls) half way across the world, into harms way. OF course, being an Army Vet, I only see the horrors of sending our men and women into war. Is there anyone out there who think our war is a good idea? I want to hear from you.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
I have done it!
After several weeks of tutiledge, I have figured out how to get pics from my phone on to the internet!
These are pics that I took at the Bacchanalian Event at the Contemporary Arts Center.
Here are picsof Shina's basketball game.
And finially, here are some pics I took on the hike in Hicking Hills.
Look for a lot more in the future. Maybe now I can stop ripping off other people's pic....lol
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