Wednesday, March 05, 2008

LEAP night recap



LEAP night redux

I wussed out and drove down to LEAP night instead of taking the train. Mostly because I was travelling with the delightful MarJ and another friend and figured we would be too cold to wait around for the Red Line when the night schedule takes over.

Upon showing up at the site the first thought was that we had stumbled upon a homeless encampment. Huddled masses arranged around metal drums filled with fire, in the distance a small bonfire burned. I suppose the major difference would be the food tents, the projected "Rock Band" competition, the fire troupe and the freestyle snowboard, ski ramp.

I was amazed at the good turnout. When we were there (for the hour and change that our poorly dressed bodies could handle) we saw entire families with little kids running around, young and old couples, and the typical 20something crowd looking at the ruins of the city, the frozen river and the going-ons.

Gypsy Bean and coffee operated a food tent supplying pizza and similar fare (and cookies!) with coffee or hot chocolate to stay warm. Either folks dressed as bears, or well spoken actual bears, mingled in the crowd handing out snacks and checking on everyone's health. The only thing that didn't cooperate was the weather. If it would have stayed cold then the ground wouldn't have devolved into inches of slush. It is hard to argue when the weather gets warmer in February around here so I won't make much of an issue about it.

As we were leaving it seemed as if many more people were arriving and that parking was going to get quite scarce, quite quickly. I was actually really excited and think the folks putting this thing together deserve quite a bit of credit. They managed to pull off a rather fun and interesting event on a spectacular locale and, well to be honest, it rekindled a little spark of hope that has seemed so dim lately*.

*I will wax poetic any damn time I please.

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

GO VOTE!



Well, I braved the wet and cold to go visit a church and cast a vote in the fellowship hall/basement. Someone at the polling location was commenting on how the paper ballots were a step backwards. I find it interesting how people have been trained to associate shiny, electronic and new with progress. I would ascribe 'progress' as the simplest, most reliable and most efficient solution to a particular problem regardless of technological prowess. Perhaps that is why I am grumpy all the time.

The only thing that appeared on the ballot that made me question the choices being proffered was the re-election of Tim Hagan as a County Commissioner. I don't necessarily think anything particularly unpleasant about the fellow, I just think that he embodies quite a bit of what is wrong with the city and why progress in the region is slow to dismal.

At some point I wonder if the entire back-room napkin contract business model will turn the city into the futuristic version of Marty McFly's hometown (Bifftown). I would argue that I think that would be a bad thing. Regardless it was amazing to find Hagan's name on the ballot let alone unopposed. Either no one knew that his term was up for renegotiation or we are all just too tired anymore to hope for change.

Oh well, go out and vote. You don't have anything better to do.

resources:
Cuyahoga County 2008 Ballot Issues

Monday, March 03, 2008

1/3 Movie Night - Manufactured Landscapes


1/3 Movie Night @ Bela Dubby
Thursday March 6th, 7pm (ish)
A LAUNCH Cleveland Event
Free and Open To All

Edward Burtynsky's Manufactured Landscapes

"A protracted exploration of the aesthetic, social and spiritual dimensions of industrialization and globalization... Raises some significant and sobering questions about the impact that we, as humans, make on our environment"
- NEW YORK TIMES

Edward Burtynsky is internationally acclaimed for his large-scale photographs of nature transformed by industry. Manufactured Landscapes – a stunning documentary by award winning director Jennifer Baichwal follows Burtynsky to China, as he captures the effects of the country's massive industrial revolution. This remarkable film leads us to meditate on human endeavor and its impact on the planet. (from www.mongrelmedia.com)

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