11 September 2011
08 September 2011
07 September 2011
A "Secret" Recipe
I actually DO have ideas for blog posts, it's just that time & gumption haven't shared the same circumstance for a while now. I'd like to blog more about local affairs & government. We'll see how that turns out.
Meantime, here's the ingredient list for Lipton's "Soup Secrets" chicken noodle soup "with real chicken broth." Not exactly a shocker, but interesting nonetheless how a simple kitchen recipe turns into something practically unrecognizable when deconstructed in the lab.
wheat flour
eggs
niacin
iron
thiamin mononitrate (vitamin B1)
riboflavin (B2)
folic acid
maltodextrin
salt
corn syrup
monosodium glutamate
chicken fat
chicken powder
partially hydrogenated soybean oil
hydrolyzed soy protein
cornstarch
yeast extract
parsley
chicken broth
disodium inositate
disodium guanylate
turmeric
Meantime, here's the ingredient list for Lipton's "Soup Secrets" chicken noodle soup "with real chicken broth." Not exactly a shocker, but interesting nonetheless how a simple kitchen recipe turns into something practically unrecognizable when deconstructed in the lab.
wheat flour
eggs
niacin
iron
thiamin mononitrate (vitamin B1)
riboflavin (B2)
folic acid
maltodextrin
salt
corn syrup
monosodium glutamate
chicken fat
chicken powder
partially hydrogenated soybean oil
hydrolyzed soy protein
cornstarch
yeast extract
parsley
chicken broth
disodium inositate
disodium guanylate
turmeric
24 July 2011
08 June 2011
05 June 2011
30 May 2011
Explanation Sought
I ran a few errands this Memorial Day morning and, as expected, did not see many cars or people... except for the THIRTEEN police vehicles I saw within a 1 hour time frame in downtown, West End and Camp Washington.
So I'm wondering: is there an elevated threat level, or does CPD acknowledge veterans by giving double overtime to everyone who requests it?
So I'm wondering: is there an elevated threat level, or does CPD acknowledge veterans by giving double overtime to everyone who requests it?
24 May 2011
Final Note for BagPipes?
The Business Courier is reporting that BagPipes Irish Pub has not paid it's rent and is about to be evicted. It also reports that its employees (numbering around 40, according to an earlier article) have not been paid, either.
It's always sad to see a downtown business bite the dust. However, based on the Urbanspoon and Yelp reviews, BagPipes seems to have had some serious management, staff and food issues that it never overcame. And there's also the curse of 7th & Race, if you believe in that sort of thing. I think I'm starting to.
I never made it to BagPipes so I can't offer my own experience, but I think these excerpts from Yelp and Urbanspoon basically tell the sad story:
If you enjoy the kind of lunch or dinner experience where you hardly see your server, overpay for mediocre and inconsistently cooked food, and get to watch the head chefs drinking shots or playing Golden Tee instead of making sure food is getting to the tables hot, then you'll love BagPipes.
Bagpipes advertises 27 beers on top and a wide selection of bottles. That would be great if the beer was actually stocked.
This maybe a great bar but they need to revisit their food strategy because at this rate, they will lucky to make through summer. If you are looking for decent food - save your time and money.
There was an odd pinball machine in the far corner being played by the chef and other kitchen help... I hope they washed their hands every time they re-entered the kitchen... The food we did select was mediocre at best. The bathrooms were dirty, as was the floor in the main dining area. Overall, this place will probably only remain open for another month before closing due to poor management, staffing and overall quality.
...the service was terrible. It took 15 minutes just to get our drinks and every drink order after that took just as long... The meatloaf my friend ordered was overcooked and my fish and chips were disgusting.
We ordered the corned beef flatbread appetizer, that should have never left the kitchen... The potato pancakes (3 small, flavorless & greasy for $3) should have been sent back. Oh, and how could I forget the live entertainment, Matt Snow, gave me nothing but a headache. I am still wondering why an Irish bar had a guy singing Sinatra. I am pretty sure a year from now this palce will be closed.
I hope something else opens up at this corner soon but more than that I hope the next person knows what the fuck they're doing so they get it right. This is getting ridiculous.
It's always sad to see a downtown business bite the dust. However, based on the Urbanspoon and Yelp reviews, BagPipes seems to have had some serious management, staff and food issues that it never overcame. And there's also the curse of 7th & Race, if you believe in that sort of thing. I think I'm starting to.
I never made it to BagPipes so I can't offer my own experience, but I think these excerpts from Yelp and Urbanspoon basically tell the sad story:
If you enjoy the kind of lunch or dinner experience where you hardly see your server, overpay for mediocre and inconsistently cooked food, and get to watch the head chefs drinking shots or playing Golden Tee instead of making sure food is getting to the tables hot, then you'll love BagPipes.
Bagpipes advertises 27 beers on top and a wide selection of bottles. That would be great if the beer was actually stocked.
This maybe a great bar but they need to revisit their food strategy because at this rate, they will lucky to make through summer. If you are looking for decent food - save your time and money.
There was an odd pinball machine in the far corner being played by the chef and other kitchen help... I hope they washed their hands every time they re-entered the kitchen... The food we did select was mediocre at best. The bathrooms were dirty, as was the floor in the main dining area. Overall, this place will probably only remain open for another month before closing due to poor management, staffing and overall quality.
...the service was terrible. It took 15 minutes just to get our drinks and every drink order after that took just as long... The meatloaf my friend ordered was overcooked and my fish and chips were disgusting.
We ordered the corned beef flatbread appetizer, that should have never left the kitchen... The potato pancakes (3 small, flavorless & greasy for $3) should have been sent back. Oh, and how could I forget the live entertainment, Matt Snow, gave me nothing but a headache. I am still wondering why an Irish bar had a guy singing Sinatra. I am pretty sure a year from now this palce will be closed.
I hope something else opens up at this corner soon but more than that I hope the next person knows what the fuck they're doing so they get it right. This is getting ridiculous.
16 May 2011
Rare Ducks and Giant Poops
from WVXU:
“The chase is on. There are butterflies in my stomach. But the rush of Adrenaline is intoxicating. You know the feeling. Like a teenager on your first date? Or maybe when you and your buddies were hanging around your college dorm on a Friday afternoon then impulsively decide to make a 200 mile mad dash to the Dire Straits concert three hours before start? The chase is on. There’s a Garganey in Harrison, OH.”
I'd like to give this duck the benefit of the doubt and presume it's not the one responsible for dropping fourteen-- yes, FOURTEEN-- plops of bird poop on my car this past Saturday (at once, mind you). Nine hit the windshield (itself a personal best) and when I got out to clean it up, I counted 5 more on the hood and roof.
My first thought was that there was a pterodactyl up there (come on, FOURTEEN plops?) but then I figured a big goose that ate the garbage from El Toro Mexican restaurant in Hyde Park Plaza is probably the likelier explanation.
Returning to the pterodactyl line of thought for a moment, I paused to consider the ramifications if they still existed, or more precisely, if their massive falling poops still existed. In the early days of the automobile many people would have been killed. Only when materials, especially glass, could be made strong enough would car travel be truly safe from the threat of pterodactyl poops. We are indeed fortunate not to have to face this threat.
“The chase is on. There are butterflies in my stomach. But the rush of Adrenaline is intoxicating. You know the feeling. Like a teenager on your first date? Or maybe when you and your buddies were hanging around your college dorm on a Friday afternoon then impulsively decide to make a 200 mile mad dash to the Dire Straits concert three hours before start? The chase is on. There’s a Garganey in Harrison, OH.”
I'd like to give this duck the benefit of the doubt and presume it's not the one responsible for dropping fourteen-- yes, FOURTEEN-- plops of bird poop on my car this past Saturday (at once, mind you). Nine hit the windshield (itself a personal best) and when I got out to clean it up, I counted 5 more on the hood and roof.
My first thought was that there was a pterodactyl up there (come on, FOURTEEN plops?) but then I figured a big goose that ate the garbage from El Toro Mexican restaurant in Hyde Park Plaza is probably the likelier explanation.
Returning to the pterodactyl line of thought for a moment, I paused to consider the ramifications if they still existed, or more precisely, if their massive falling poops still existed. In the early days of the automobile many people would have been killed. Only when materials, especially glass, could be made strong enough would car travel be truly safe from the threat of pterodactyl poops. We are indeed fortunate not to have to face this threat.
13 May 2011
Observations from Special Session of Council
The session lasted 2.5 hrs. THE EXORCIST started it off, announcing he had a list of 25 questions. He first asked the City Manager to explain what legislative authority (granted by Council) the administration had to use the funds to pay for the streetcar. Mr. Dohoney then listed the ordinances, motions and resolutions which did this. This irked me because this information is online and THE EXORCIST could have saved time by looking it up himself. It’s almost as he was more interested in egotistical grandstanding than anything else. Imagine that.
THE EXORCIST gave me a chuckle, though, when he stated that motions have no legal authority and are “friv-yoo-lous.” He said it again later in the meeting.
Leslie Ghiz played with her phone a lot and voiced concern about whether this was the right time to fund a streetcar system. As I understood her, she is not opposed to a streetcar, she is just opposed to voting for a streetcar. Then she left for about 20 min, came back for another 20 min, then got up and walked around back and forth, finally sat down again for a few more minutes and then left for good about halfway through the meeting.
Lately I’ve been describing Ghiz as the epitome of “phoning it in” and she couldn’t have done a better job of reinforcing that notion if she had a SIM card implanted in her head.
I think Wendell Young was there but I’m not sure, that might have been the furniture. Oh, yes, he was there… I remember he was playing with his tablet PC for a while. I could see the screen and it kind of looked like he was shopping for another tablet.
Wayne Lippert stated he was focused on the worst-case scenario of Detroit. He asked why the projections did not include a worst-case scenario. Dohoney answered that the projections were meant to be realistic, not worst-case. Lippert also voiced concern that the project may not get the full $25m in federal money. Lippert stated he previously worked in Congress and knew how this particular funding works.
What struck me most was what Lippert did NOT say. He did not say that he would do whatever he could to secure those funds. He did not say that he would be part of the solution. How nice would it be if we had elected officials who looked for solutions... who looked for ways to overcome obstacles, instead of just pointing them out... who are leaders and not just nattering nabobs of negativism?
And Lippert wasn’t the only one. His fellow newcomer, Amy Murray, did the same thing. She questioned the “stealing” of Banks TIF monies to use for building Phase I of the route which does not include the Banks (planned for Phase II). But she did not say she would do everything possible to make sure Phase II goes forward. No solutions. No leadership.
About halfway through, Quinlivan proposed that they proceed to the public comment portion of the meeting. THE EXORCIST was pissed off about this and called it a “stunt.” Oh, the irony. In any case, Quinlivan managed to shut off Winburn’s ego spigot and if I ever run into her, I’ll buy her a delicious lunch at Tacqueria Mercado, where I recently tried the tripe taco and thought it was pretty good.
The public comment had two notable aspects: First, the speakers were overwhelmingly in support of the streetcar. Given that this whole meeting was a Charlie Winburn joint and that he rounded up the crazies of WBDZ, NAACP and COAST and was still totally outnumbered (by 9 to 1, I understand), this has to be regarded as an epic FAIL.
Second, ALL the speakers who opposed the streetcar yelled into the mic and they ALL talked past their allotted time. Every one of them. One demanded an illegal transfer of funds and another got in a tussle with security.
Conclusions:
(1) If Council's GOP faction spent as much time & energy solving problems as it does finding them, Cincinnati would benefit.
(2) There seems to be a direct correlation between the vehemence of one's opposition and (a) problems with anger management, and also (b) lack of factual knowledge.
THE EXORCIST gave me a chuckle, though, when he stated that motions have no legal authority and are “friv-yoo-lous.” He said it again later in the meeting.
Leslie Ghiz played with her phone a lot and voiced concern about whether this was the right time to fund a streetcar system. As I understood her, she is not opposed to a streetcar, she is just opposed to voting for a streetcar. Then she left for about 20 min, came back for another 20 min, then got up and walked around back and forth, finally sat down again for a few more minutes and then left for good about halfway through the meeting.
Lately I’ve been describing Ghiz as the epitome of “phoning it in” and she couldn’t have done a better job of reinforcing that notion if she had a SIM card implanted in her head.
I think Wendell Young was there but I’m not sure, that might have been the furniture. Oh, yes, he was there… I remember he was playing with his tablet PC for a while. I could see the screen and it kind of looked like he was shopping for another tablet.
Wayne Lippert stated he was focused on the worst-case scenario of Detroit. He asked why the projections did not include a worst-case scenario. Dohoney answered that the projections were meant to be realistic, not worst-case. Lippert also voiced concern that the project may not get the full $25m in federal money. Lippert stated he previously worked in Congress and knew how this particular funding works.
What struck me most was what Lippert did NOT say. He did not say that he would do whatever he could to secure those funds. He did not say that he would be part of the solution. How nice would it be if we had elected officials who looked for solutions... who looked for ways to overcome obstacles, instead of just pointing them out... who are leaders and not just nattering nabobs of negativism?
And Lippert wasn’t the only one. His fellow newcomer, Amy Murray, did the same thing. She questioned the “stealing” of Banks TIF monies to use for building Phase I of the route which does not include the Banks (planned for Phase II). But she did not say she would do everything possible to make sure Phase II goes forward. No solutions. No leadership.
About halfway through, Quinlivan proposed that they proceed to the public comment portion of the meeting. THE EXORCIST was pissed off about this and called it a “stunt.” Oh, the irony. In any case, Quinlivan managed to shut off Winburn’s ego spigot and if I ever run into her, I’ll buy her a delicious lunch at Tacqueria Mercado, where I recently tried the tripe taco and thought it was pretty good.
The public comment had two notable aspects: First, the speakers were overwhelmingly in support of the streetcar. Given that this whole meeting was a Charlie Winburn joint and that he rounded up the crazies of WBDZ, NAACP and COAST and was still totally outnumbered (by 9 to 1, I understand), this has to be regarded as an epic FAIL.
Second, ALL the speakers who opposed the streetcar yelled into the mic and they ALL talked past their allotted time. Every one of them. One demanded an illegal transfer of funds and another got in a tussle with security.
Conclusions:
(1) If Council's GOP faction spent as much time & energy solving problems as it does finding them, Cincinnati would benefit.
(2) There seems to be a direct correlation between the vehemence of one's opposition and (a) problems with anger management, and also (b) lack of factual knowledge.
10 May 2011
Provincialism vs. Progress
In an obvious ploy to garner campaign support from the COAST and NAACP ass clown posses, Charlie Winburn has scheduled a special Council session tomorrow, May 11, at 6pm to hoot 'n' holla about the streetcar. Griff and Quimbob have already called out this outrageous use of public resources for a personal campaign.
This is my 13th year as a downtown resident. Unlike most of the "pioneers" who have moved downtown in the past few years, I do NOT think OTR is the greatest, coolest neighborhood ever and I am NOT gung-ho about the streetcar. It thought it was a fair criticism to say it had a "if you build it they will come" aspect.
So although I am not gung-ho and uppity, I do support it 100%. Three key things (I guess you could say six) factored into my perspective:
(1) For the first time in recent history, 3 key stakeholder groups are on the same page about downtown's future: the public (which already voted FOR the streetcar), the business community (of which many groups and individuals have expressed support) and public officials.
(2) OTR is a long-neglected historic gem. Is any neighborhood more in need of revitalization? OTR should be an area with desirable residential, business and recreational opportunities. The streetcar provides incentive to develop these opportunities and that is why property owners and businesses support it. All of these developments increase the tax base. A streetcar system is an investment, not an expenditure.
(3) A streetcar system gets more people to more places more often. The more people there are in an area, the safer it will be. Anyone who has walked around Chicago or NYC late at night knows this. While anything can happen anywhere, the basic rule is that criminals don't want to be in busy places. A streetcar system will increase "people density" and force criminals to go elsewhere. And let's be honest, many criminals will get priced out of the neighborhood before the first streetcar makes its run anyway.
So there it is. I see the streetcar system as an investment that attracts residents and businesses, an investment that increases the tax base and increases public safety (which itself reduces tax spending). This is an idea that makes sense, regardless of whether it makes a downtown newbie feel hip and cool.
In a way, there is no better endorsement of the streetcar than to look at who opposes it: COAST, WBDZ/NAACP, FOP, Kasich. This is a pantheon of clownish, self-righteous ignorance. It would be so disappointing to have to include GOP in that list but Amy Murray and Wayne Lippert have already joined Winburn. I think Ghiz will, too.
Few things in politics are black & white but I think the battle over the streetcar comes down to provincialism vs. progress. I have a stake in this and it is not acceptable for a small but vocal fringe minority of visionless, ignorant blowhards to continually impede this city's progress.
I will be at City Hall tomorrow evening and if you choose progress over provincialism, you should be there, too.
This is my 13th year as a downtown resident. Unlike most of the "pioneers" who have moved downtown in the past few years, I do NOT think OTR is the greatest, coolest neighborhood ever and I am NOT gung-ho about the streetcar. It thought it was a fair criticism to say it had a "if you build it they will come" aspect.
So although I am not gung-ho and uppity, I do support it 100%. Three key things (I guess you could say six) factored into my perspective:
(1) For the first time in recent history, 3 key stakeholder groups are on the same page about downtown's future: the public (which already voted FOR the streetcar), the business community (of which many groups and individuals have expressed support) and public officials.
(2) OTR is a long-neglected historic gem. Is any neighborhood more in need of revitalization? OTR should be an area with desirable residential, business and recreational opportunities. The streetcar provides incentive to develop these opportunities and that is why property owners and businesses support it. All of these developments increase the tax base. A streetcar system is an investment, not an expenditure.
(3) A streetcar system gets more people to more places more often. The more people there are in an area, the safer it will be. Anyone who has walked around Chicago or NYC late at night knows this. While anything can happen anywhere, the basic rule is that criminals don't want to be in busy places. A streetcar system will increase "people density" and force criminals to go elsewhere. And let's be honest, many criminals will get priced out of the neighborhood before the first streetcar makes its run anyway.
So there it is. I see the streetcar system as an investment that attracts residents and businesses, an investment that increases the tax base and increases public safety (which itself reduces tax spending). This is an idea that makes sense, regardless of whether it makes a downtown newbie feel hip and cool.
In a way, there is no better endorsement of the streetcar than to look at who opposes it: COAST, WBDZ/NAACP, FOP, Kasich. This is a pantheon of clownish, self-righteous ignorance. It would be so disappointing to have to include GOP in that list but Amy Murray and Wayne Lippert have already joined Winburn. I think Ghiz will, too.
Few things in politics are black & white but I think the battle over the streetcar comes down to provincialism vs. progress. I have a stake in this and it is not acceptable for a small but vocal fringe minority of visionless, ignorant blowhards to continually impede this city's progress.
I will be at City Hall tomorrow evening and if you choose progress over provincialism, you should be there, too.
08 May 2011
Afternoon Stroll on Stilts?
I saw this guy crossing Monmouth St. I think he entertains the kids at the Levee. If that's a different guy then they both have the same pants, which I suppose is possible since there probably are not that many pant designs made for this getup. But I'm sure it's the same guy. He was going back to his car which was parked surprisingly far from the Levee considering he has to walk around on stilts.
Seeing this guy reminded me of a softball teammate. We have an ongoing discussion about whether he is fast or not. On one hand, his legs move slowly, probably slower than anyone else on the team. On the other hand, he is 6'6" so his strides are so long that he covers twice as much ground as anyone else. So is he fast or not? And why do we keep losing?
Seeing this guy reminded me of a softball teammate. We have an ongoing discussion about whether he is fast or not. On one hand, his legs move slowly, probably slower than anyone else on the team. On the other hand, he is 6'6" so his strides are so long that he covers twice as much ground as anyone else. So is he fast or not? And why do we keep losing?
03 May 2011
Southwest Ohio has Unhealthy Air
From the Journal of More Bad Things You Really Can't Do Much About comes the 2011 rankings of America's most polluted areas. Let's see how our region fared.
The rankings were done in 3 categories:
OZONE: Tristate is 15th worst
CHRONIC AIR POLLUTION: Tristate is 7th worst
ACUTE AIR POLLUTION: Not on list (I presume this means we're doing a good job of spreading out our historic building demolitions)
I guess I'm feeling good about my newly procured HEPA air cleaner. I haven't had it for long but I got it in the hope of helping my dust allergies. Now that I know we have the 7th worst air in America, maybe I should invest in another one.
The rankings were done in 3 categories:
OZONE: Tristate is 15th worst
CHRONIC AIR POLLUTION: Tristate is 7th worst
ACUTE AIR POLLUTION: Not on list (I presume this means we're doing a good job of spreading out our historic building demolitions)
I guess I'm feeling good about my newly procured HEPA air cleaner. I haven't had it for long but I got it in the hope of helping my dust allergies. Now that I know we have the 7th worst air in America, maybe I should invest in another one.
24 April 2011
10 April 2011
Ault Park Spring Scenes
This dude "roped" a few of his superiorly coordinated friends into this tightrope walking activity. They were doing it for fun but he explained to me that it's basically a rock-climbing exercise.
Joy workin' it.
Obama is to blame for this shot not being in focus.
One of many pairs out for a stroll.
Timing is everything.
Timing is everything Pt. II.
04 April 2011
30 March 2011
23 March 2011
Ideas for Defeating Libyan Forces
From a memoir about WWII combat flying comes this bit of unknown history:
Once I heard of a gunner who ran out of ammunition, and in desperation threw toilet paper at the Russian Yak, and the Russian was frightened away by it!! The Russians did not know what toilet paper was, so this pilot probably thought the gunner was throwing a bomb at him. This trick worked many times.
I don't know how advanced Libya is, so it's possible they are familiar with toilet paper. In that case, we should try stranger things like labradoodles or Lady Gaga's accessories.
Once I heard of a gunner who ran out of ammunition, and in desperation threw toilet paper at the Russian Yak, and the Russian was frightened away by it!! The Russians did not know what toilet paper was, so this pilot probably thought the gunner was throwing a bomb at him. This trick worked many times.
I don't know how advanced Libya is, so it's possible they are familiar with toilet paper. In that case, we should try stranger things like labradoodles or Lady Gaga's accessories.
21 March 2011
14 March 2011
Highlights of Research no.1
From the Jan 2009 issue of Sociology of Religion comes the enticingly titled paper Round Trip to Hell in a Flying Saucer: The Relationship between Conventional Christian and Paranormal Beliefs in the United States.
To save you the trouble of reading this paper in its entirety, here is a sort of executive summary presented via key excerpts:
In this paper we examine the relationship between conventional Christian and paranormal beliefs. Conventional Christian beliefs are those such as belief in Heaven, Hell, and the existence of God. Paranormal beliefs include belief in UFOs, astrology, haunting, communication with the dead, and Bigfoot.
But are these different types of beliefs compatible? Will someone who believes in eternal life or the resurrection reject beliefs in flying saucers, ghosts, extrasensory perception (ESP), and the like?
Finally, a number of studies have discussed potential nonlinear effects… Paranormal beliefs are strongest among those with no Christian beliefs and with the strongest Christian beliefs, and are weak among those with moderate Christian beliefs.
Those with higher levels of education and income are significantly less likely to report strong paranormal beliefs. Also, older and white respondents report lower levels of paranormal belief than do younger and nonwhite respondents… Moreover, females are statistically more likely than males to report beliefs in paranormal phenomenon.
To save you the trouble of reading this paper in its entirety, here is a sort of executive summary presented via key excerpts:
In this paper we examine the relationship between conventional Christian and paranormal beliefs. Conventional Christian beliefs are those such as belief in Heaven, Hell, and the existence of God. Paranormal beliefs include belief in UFOs, astrology, haunting, communication with the dead, and Bigfoot.
But are these different types of beliefs compatible? Will someone who believes in eternal life or the resurrection reject beliefs in flying saucers, ghosts, extrasensory perception (ESP), and the like?
Finally, a number of studies have discussed potential nonlinear effects… Paranormal beliefs are strongest among those with no Christian beliefs and with the strongest Christian beliefs, and are weak among those with moderate Christian beliefs.
Those with higher levels of education and income are significantly less likely to report strong paranormal beliefs. Also, older and white respondents report lower levels of paranormal belief than do younger and nonwhite respondents… Moreover, females are statistically more likely than males to report beliefs in paranormal phenomenon.
12 March 2011
Waterfront Restaurant: Last Week vs. This Week
This is a photo from last week. The lower parking lot is almost entirely submerged but the edge of pavement is visible at the bottom. Note the space between the bridge pillar on the left and the restaurant.
This is a photo from today. There is no space between the pillar and restaurant; it's staying there for now and a tugboat (presumably the one that towed it back) is to the left/behind the restaurant. The water level is much higher this week and the lower lot is totally submerged.
Last week showing the lower lot. The stairs are almost entirely under water today.
Lower lot today. Note the traffic signage on the left.
Last week. This is the pile of river debris that wedged itself next to the restaurant. It's mostly tree parts but there are scores of bottles and I'm sure there's a tire or two somewhere in the flotsam.
A lot of the debris seems to have floated downstream after the restaurant dislodged last night. But it's being replaced quickly enough.
No time to put on clothes or shoes... gotta get down there and see it before it floats away again!
Here's the story from FOX19.com.
This is a photo from today. There is no space between the pillar and restaurant; it's staying there for now and a tugboat (presumably the one that towed it back) is to the left/behind the restaurant. The water level is much higher this week and the lower lot is totally submerged.
Last week showing the lower lot. The stairs are almost entirely under water today.
Lower lot today. Note the traffic signage on the left.
Last week. This is the pile of river debris that wedged itself next to the restaurant. It's mostly tree parts but there are scores of bottles and I'm sure there's a tire or two somewhere in the flotsam.
A lot of the debris seems to have floated downstream after the restaurant dislodged last night. But it's being replaced quickly enough.
No time to put on clothes or shoes... gotta get down there and see it before it floats away again!
Here's the story from FOX19.com.
07 March 2011
Parallel Universe Queen City Tower
This is what the Queen City Tower might look like if Gaudi was the architect:
It could work... after all, Chicago pulled off AQUA. Symmetry and right angles are so overrated.
It could work... after all, Chicago pulled off AQUA. Symmetry and right angles are so overrated.
27 February 2011
High Water
It's high, but not as high as it was in 1993. Back then, the water submerged all of Serpentine Wall and pretty much most of the flagpole portions seen in this photo. The concession stands were under water. Mehring Way and Pete Rose Way were under water. The Lytle garage was at that time a surface parking lot and I remember seeing the gate sticking out of the water.
And even that doesn't come close to the Mother Flooder of 1937 which turned all the downtown streets into canals.
And now another rainstorm has begun just as I am typing this...
21 February 2011
Fossils
Some years ago I dated a woman whose parents were hippies. They lived down the street from a responsible alcoholic, a gentle and kind man who could never quite conquer his demons but always cared for his cats and had enough sense not to drive a car. So when he visited, he did so on his riding mower, puttering the quarter mile or so along the side of the road.
One summer day I was over there hanging out when the neighbor rode over. He came inside and had a mumbling conversation with the mother for a few minutes as I listened, amazed that she could understand any of the words. Eventually they decided to go down to the nearby creek for a swim and I tagged along to play with their new puppy.
When we got to the creek they took off all their clothes and got in. The mother asked me if I wanted to swim but I hadn't really prepared myself psychologically for skinny dipping with my girlfriend's 55-year old mother and an alcoholic neighbor. Fortunately, Ohio was covered by a shallow sea 450 million years ago so I was able to excuse myself from the situation by looking for fossils in the creek bed.
I didn't find anything there, but I did find the cool rock below on a hike in the woods last weekend. It seems like there is a little bit of everything in here... based on my thorough research (i.e. looking at some pics on this page), I think there may be brachiopods, snails, clams and cephalopods, and maybe more.
One summer day I was over there hanging out when the neighbor rode over. He came inside and had a mumbling conversation with the mother for a few minutes as I listened, amazed that she could understand any of the words. Eventually they decided to go down to the nearby creek for a swim and I tagged along to play with their new puppy.
When we got to the creek they took off all their clothes and got in. The mother asked me if I wanted to swim but I hadn't really prepared myself psychologically for skinny dipping with my girlfriend's 55-year old mother and an alcoholic neighbor. Fortunately, Ohio was covered by a shallow sea 450 million years ago so I was able to excuse myself from the situation by looking for fossils in the creek bed.
I didn't find anything there, but I did find the cool rock below on a hike in the woods last weekend. It seems like there is a little bit of everything in here... based on my thorough research (i.e. looking at some pics on this page), I think there may be brachiopods, snails, clams and cephalopods, and maybe more.
14 February 2011
31 January 2011
The Monolith
When I saw this I thought of the monolith in 2001: A Space Odyssey.
It's in a downtown park, nowhere near outer space or chimps with sticks.
21 January 2011
17 January 2011
13 January 2011
Crazy Kid vs. Arts Education
What we have here is graffiti art by grade schoolers in Columbus, IN. As you can see, it is a scene in which an alien is greeting a girl... a girl who happens to have facial vitiligo and antennae coming out of her head. Furthermore, the girl lacks a normal shoulder joint and instead her arms hang from her hips. And they are not even arms, they are ostrich legs.
While I concede that such a girl may actually exist in central Indiana and other places with environmental mutagens and poultry farms, we must also consider the possibility that this visage is the result of inadequate arts education funding.
On the other hand, I suppose it is possible that this painting's bizarreness is one of those genius bizarenesses, like Dali, and not a bizarre bizarreness (like Vinh Bui's Australian Idol audition). I'll follow FOX News's example and just report it and let you decide.
(But in the true spirit of FOX News, I'll report it by saying arts education warps our childrens' minds at taxpayer expense and by also reminding everyone Hitler was once an art student).
12 January 2011
Greg Harris Leaving Cincinnati... Sort of
CityBeat reports that Greg Harris has accepted a job in Detroit. This is good news for him personally but bad news for Cincinnati. Harris is knowledgeable about urban affairs and a proponent of smart growth and progress. It would have been great for Harris to run and (finally) win a council seat. Of course, he would already be on council if Laketa Cole had appointed the bestest person instead of the blackest person. But that's another story.
I expect his new gig will be a tough one and I wish him all the best. Cincinnati's loss is Detroit's gain.
I expect his new gig will be a tough one and I wish him all the best. Cincinnati's loss is Detroit's gain.
10 January 2011
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