Silver Ribbon Dream
Singer/Songwriter Laurie Michelle Caner & Artist Leandra Drumm
Miller Community House Portage County’s Only Emergency Shelter
Bitcoin is No Coin Whatever it is, it is Not Money
Re co w
6 www.aroundkent.net publisher/photographer Matt Keffer 330.221.1274 info@aroundkent.net
art director Susan Mackle
illustrator
Chuck Slonaker
contributing writers Don Abbott Jeff St. Clair Roger DiPaolo Elliott Ingersoll, Ph.D. Mark Keffer Anne Marie Noble Dr. Patrick O’Connor Paul S. Wang
Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or pictorial content of any manner is prohibited without written permission. aroundkent accepts no responsibility for solicited materials.
content volume 18 2018 6 Silver Ribbon Dream 10 Visual Art Showcase 18 Miller Community House 22 The Road Less Traveled 30 Akron Art Museum Exhibits
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32 Bitcoin Is No Coin 39 Meet the Newest Physicians at UH Portage Medical Center
40 Urodynamic Studies Now Available at UH Portage Medical Center
42 The Haven of Portage County 50 " Around the World� Music Series 52 The Snarky Gardener 55 Find your Adventure at Headwaters Trail, Mantua Village & Garrettsville Village
56 Shootout at the Golgotha Corral Cover: Photo courtesy of Shane Wynn
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Photo courtesy of Shane Wynn
silver ribbon dream M Y S T E R Y, M U S I C , A N D M A G I C Jeff St. Clair
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were the ingredients of the first Light Up Lantern Festival in Akron. That’s where Hey Mavis singer and songwriter Laurie Michelle Caner first met Leandra Drumm, who organized the seminal celebration of the arts in 2009. Caner became enamored with Drumm’s whimsical style which infused the event,
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while Drumm fell in love with the band’s freeflowing folk sound. It also turns out they lived a block from each other in Highland Square, which cemented the friendship. Fast-forward to 2016 when Caner, her husband Eddie, and three kids have since moved to a Continued on page 8
Leandra's illustration for Miss Uno, a song about a snake charmer lady who traveled up and down the Ohio & Erie Canal
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Continued from page 6 sprawling house on the Cuyahoga River in Kent. Hey Mavis had also won a Knight Arts Challenge grant to create a CD of original songs telling the story of Ohio’s canal days. Caner, of course, turned to her old neighbor and friend Leandra Drumm to illustrate the companion book, Silver Ribbon Dream – Songs and Stories of the Ohio and Erie Canal, which debuts this month.
Drumm’s drawing of “30 Cents'” grim-faced work crew includes a reference to Little Dublin, an Irish work camp in what is now Akron’s North Hill neighborhood.
And the story of the canal begins with a shovel. “30 Cents” opens the set. It tells the story of the Irish immigrants who did most of the digging of the big ditch that linked the Ohio River to the burgeoning Lake Erie port of Cleveland. The workers earned 30 cents a day and a jigger of whiskey for their labor.
“It truly is amazing to me that all 309 miles were dug by hand,” says Caner, “that in itself is mind-boggling.”
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“I like to tell stories through my imagery,” says Drumm“, so there’s a lot of detail elements within the character.” “My parents are both artists,” says Drumm, whose father Don Drumm is known for his iconic sculptural style, and whose mother Lisa is a fiber artist. Both have influenced her style, she says, especially her mother’s early work with dolls that open to reveal inner surprises. Drumm says this layering of meanings infuses her work on “Silver Ribbon Dream”, drawing the viewer in to become part of the story.
“We’re both story tellers,” says Caner, “Leandra tells a story visually and I tell a story lyrically.”
“Conditions on the canal were horrible,” says Caner. Malaria, known as “canal fever“, was rampant, adding to the misery of back-breaking work from sunup to sundown six days a week. Still, it was considered a good wage for the migrants, many of whom had done similar work on the recently completed Erie Canal in New York.
studio, and Drumm says she listened to each track while working.
Leandra Drumm says her drawings in Silver Ribbon Dream are influenced as much by the music as by the lyrics. Hey Mavis would send her song sketches as each piece formed in the
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Her illustration for “Black Tongue Fever” circles around the sinking figure of a young man at the moment of his death, his face serene and tragic as a priest races to administer last rights. The song centers on the 1827 outbreak of a mysterious disease among canal workers in Akron, an illness doctors still can’t name that eventually turned its victims’ tongues black. Some recovered, but for many it was fatal. “Cures“ ranged from rotgut whiskey to the prayers of traveling priests. “Spent 16 hours in the water digging your own grave…” goes the Hey Mavis tune.
Leandra Drumm (L) and Laurie Michelle Caner (R) spending time in downtown Kent while looking through Leandra's illustrations for the book.
My favorite track is the upbeat “Kitchen Dance” which features the ethereal fiddle of Eddie Caner. Caner, who also teaches physics at Case Western Reserve University, produced the album, with help from Kent legend David Mayfield. The songs were recorded at Mayfield’s stateof-the-art Sweetside Recording Studio in Canton. Mayfield adds electric guitar and ‘assorted noises’ to a couple of tunes, joining Laurie Caner on lead vocals and banjo, Eddie Caner on fiddle, and Hey Mavis regulars Bryan Thomas on bass and Anthony Taddeo drums. “This is not being presented as a historically accurate return to the canal era,” says Laurie Caner. “Some canal historians might be annoyed by me,” she says, “but it’s all about the emotions.” The music often veers far from a traditional folk interpretation of the period. Silver Ribbon Dream brings the stories and emotions of Ohio’s canal days into the 21st century with a fresh sound, but at the same time draws us back to the era’s raw and muddy origins. Leandra Drumm says the music and illustrations, “engage a younger audience who’s not always aware of the canalways right under our feet.” “I hadn’t heard these stories,” says Drumm, including those of Capt. Pearl Nye, who spent his life along the Ohio & Erie Canal, preserving the songs and lore of the era into the 20th Century. Nye, in a historic recording, can be heard singing a snippet of an 80 verse canal song in the opening to “Dearest Place,” a love song to the self-contained universe that was the canal during its heyday. Generations of people, like Nye, were born, grew-up, and died having never traveled far from its narrow towpath.
"Canal people" were their own breed of roughcut frontier folk who rarely interacted with townspeople along the course of their dirty but beloved waterway. One of Nye’s favorite memories is captured in the Hey Mavis tune “Miss Uno,” which tells the story of a snake charmer who traveled up and down the length of the Ohio & Erie Canal in the late 1800s. In Leandra Drumm’s drawing, Miss Uno’s blonde locks curl atop her head Medusa-like, flickering forked tongues. Legend has it that Miss Uno earned a living by entertaining canal and townsfolk alike with her trained snakes that would obey the sound of her harmonica. “This woman looked like she could exist in our time,” says Drumm, “with her striped stockings and corset,” and independent lifestyle. The Canal, although only profitable for the 20 years before it was eclipsed by rail in the 1850s and ultimately destroyed by floods in 1913, helped create the Ohio we now know. The cities of Akron, Cleveland, Massillon, Navarre, and a dozen other canal towns grew to
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prosperity through the commerce generated by the canal. Boatloads of coal from mines in Southeast Ohio headed north to factories in Cleveland. Grain from central Ohio was shipped south to Portsmouth and on to Cincinnati and ports along the "big river". Akron especially owed its early growth to the canal that flowed straight through its center, powering its mills and drawing people to its summit. Today, we still have the Towpath Trail linking Akron to Cleveland. We have Lock 3 Live events and Lock 4 concerts in a revitalized downtown. We have remnants of the big ditch and its massive locks preserved in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, like stone monuments from an earlier age. And we have far-off memories of the lives and livelihoods of those whose toil left its mark across the once vast forests of frontier Ohio. Silver Ribbon Dream tells their stories and reminds us that nothing is truly permanent and that nothing is ever truly lost.
For more info Hey Mavis: www.heymavis.com Leandra's Work: www.leandradrummdesigns.com
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Visual Art
S H O W C A S E
The human form is clearly a fundamental subject for representation in visual art. The face, in particular, is a wonderfully rich source for a multitude of forms and ideas for artistic expression. Three artists featured here utilize this vehicle to explore distinct and personal content. From precise photographic realism, to inventive, multi-layered woven forms, to contemporary takes on the ancient form of ceramics, these artists aptly represent the richness and diversity of approaches to art making in Northeast Ohio.
A M B E R
N .
F O R D
Amber N. Ford is an inspiring young northeast Ohio artist making thoughtful and resonant work. Her chosen medium of photography serves as a means of addressing personal and socio-political issues, while maintaining a sophisticated esthetic sensibility. She has created a number of different series that, as a whole, reflect a deep respect and celebration of human dignity. One recent image, of a young woman in traditional Muslim attire is powerful in both its simplicity of visual form and the complexity of the work’s subject. The fact that the photograph is untitled actually strengthens it as a work of art. The viewer isn’t led to conclusions, but is rather allowed to question their reactions to the image and contemplate their levels of understanding regarding issues of a religious and cultural nature. The viewer can connect with empathy and shared humanity, or can be preoccupied with preconceived notions and the unknown. In a particular body of work, Ford features individuals who are looking to the United States in times of need or the desire for a better life. As she states: untitled 40 x 30”, 2016
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Mark Keffer KSU Class of ‘88
Up the Stairs and to the Right from the By Force & By Choice series, 30 x 40”, 2017
untitled 40 x 30”, 2016
America, known as the “land of opportunities,” is often a destination for those in need of a new home. Some need it more than others but not everyone has a choice. While immigrants are individuals who choose to live permanently in a foreign country, refugees are forced to leave their land to escape war and persecution. In the exhibition, By Force & By Choice, I turn my lens to focus on immigrants and refugees.
T hese photographic portraits let you see a glimpse of the individuals who live in urban areas of Cleveland. Barriers such as language can make integrating into the community difficult but not impossible. Thanks to dedicated organizations, individuals can receive vital education and job training that help them adjust to their new lives in the United States. This work was created in the effort to educate my own ignorance on this very important topic. I began reaching out to local organizations and Cuyahoga County residents to retrieve more information and connect with immigrants and refugees who have moved to and been resettled
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in Cleveland, Ohio. These portraits are an ongoing response to the idea of identity. By using photography, I can partake in a collaborative engagement that allows me to interact with others. Amber N. Ford received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in photography from the Cleveland Institute of Art in 2016. Her work has been shown in galleries such as The Cleveland Print Room, Zygote Press, Waterloo Arts, Heights Arts and Zaina Gallery, located in Cleveland, Ohio. She was selected as a 2016 Creative Fusion Local Artist and received an Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award for 2017. www.ambernford.com
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Visual Art
S H O W C A S E
D E B O R A H
S I L V E R
The art of Deborah Silver is compelling in part due to a kind of duality that exists in the image making. There consistently seems to be at least two images appearing simultaneously, one atop another, vying in back-and-forth fashion for a presence. This contributes to a mysterious situation regarding the source and nature of the images. Questions arise surrounding the relationship between the various elements of the imagery. Without prior knowledge of the artist’s intentions, the work creates a peculiar and thoroughly enjoyable process of assessing the information being taken in, and connecting it to areas of the mind that hover at the fringe of clarity. A kind of emotional darkness is also felt at times, which is often offset by a wry sense of humor. The titles in particular lend an insight into the thinking of the artist and the balance between the austere and the irreverent. There is a difference in the type of imagery displayed that adds greatly to the viewing experience. Some of the images are photographically-based and, hence, more clearly recognizable. Others seem more stylized and abstract. This is a distinctive approach that connects very successfully to the fragmentary nature of perception, memory, and experience. The theme of duality defines my work as well as my life. … My art explores personal and cultural connections by uniting images of traditional tribal masks and totems with contemporary portraits.
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Stalker wool and cotton, hand woven, 20 x 16”, 2013
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Someday I’ll Be On My Own wool and cotton, hand woven, 20 x 16”, 2015
Traditional ethnic tribes were not isolated; their lives were shaped by the world of road and trade as much as by village life. My weavings examine how society is affected by the greater accessibility of diverse cultures, which are unavoidably reinterpreted through our own experience. … I use facial imagery to reveal how increased dialogue with other peoples redefines us as individuals. My weavings reflect the cross-cultural experience by reducing it to a personal, rather than societal viewpoint. These works observe other cultures through a reverse prism, taking disparate images from differing times and places, and merging
Death Awaits wool and cotton, hand woven, 20 x 16”, 2014
them into a narrative whole, where both images lose parts of themselves in translation. Deborah Silver is an alum of The Cleveland Institute of Art. She is an active member of The Cuyahoga Weavers Guild, Handweavers Guild of America, and Complex Weavers, among other organizations. In 2015, she received a Cleveland Jewish Arts and Culture Fellowship. This year, she won First Place and Complex Weavers Award, Complexity: Innovations in Weaving, Reno, Nevada. Silver has recently shown in two-person shows at ArtNEO,
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Cleveland, and the Cleveland West Art League Gallery. She was included in the 16th International Open at Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, Illinois, 2013. Other groups shows include Phoenix Gallery, New York City; Cleveland Foundation; Harris Stanton Gallery, Akron, Ohio; Praxis Fiber Workshop, Cleveland, Ohio; Lakeland Community College, Kirtland, Ohio; and Cleveland State University. When not busy at her loom, Deborah passes the time as a nuclear medicine technician. www.deborahsilverstudio.com
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Visual Art
S H O W C A S E
B R I N S L E Y
T Y R R E L L is emotionally moving and deeply engaging. These enameled landscapes were created using the large scale enamel kiln at Kent State University and generally measure three by four feet; very large for the medium. They were created from glass enamels fused onto steel and extend from a commission for Cleveland’s 117th Street RTA Station.
As an artist and educator, Brinsley Tyrell has made important contributions to the art of our area for many years. Originally from England, he was a Kent State University sculpture professor from 1968 to 1996, serving as head of the department for most of that time. His creative output has spanned many directions and media, most frequently in sculpture. As he states:
Tyrrell’s recent efforts have focused on figurative ceramics. These generally take the form of various vessels, but it appears that function is not the top priority. In at least one case, Upside-Down Cup with Shino Glaze, function has been thwarted entirely. Instead, we see throughout the many examples of this work, the human face and body depicted in a wide array of poses and expressions. In the talented hands and fertile mind of Tyrrell, we can feel the beauty, joy, pain, and mystery of being human. The richness and depth of these sculptures is powerfully convincing.
Primarily I think of myself as a sculptor, working with clay, wax, plaster, or bronze; or carving wood or stone. However, I have created many large public commissions which led to using other materials. One of his most remarkable series, Ohio Lands Forever, was made in two dimensions, in enameling. This series is filled with a great sense of freedom and invention, and contains wide-ranging emotional sensibilities. There is often an agitated, tumultuous quality, while at other times a calmer, more introspective state emerges. In either case, the esthetic richness of this work Lady with a Hat wood-fired ceramics, 2016
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False Face Goblet wood-fired ceramics, 2017
Upside-Down Cup with Shino Glaze wood-fired ceramics
…I have been creating ceramics which I fire in a wood-fired kiln outside my studio. I began with very small cups, and these have developed into a series of pots and vases, often with images of people enjoying themselves.
aesthetics. I always strive to keep the work fresh and exciting. Usually I am inspired by nature. She is ever changing, sprouting up in new and marvelous ways. I want my work to capture some of that energy.
My art is about the materials and processes I am using, and oftentimes, the environment into which a commissioned work will be placed will also have a direct impact on its materials and
Brinsley Tyrrell was born in Godstone, England and graduated from the Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts at the University of London (1964). His work can be seen in numerous
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public commissions including “Behind the Brain Plaza” on the KSU campus, and “The Akron Fence” at the Oliver Ocasek Building, Akron, Ohio. In 2002 he, with wife Lilian Tyrrell, won a Governor’s Award for the Arts in Ohio. In 2011, he received the Cleveland Arts Prize Lifetime Achievement Award for Visual Arts. www.artistbrinsleytyrrell.com
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Roger DiPaolo
Suffering from a seizure disorder that left her unable to work and facing a lack of support
MILLER COMMUNITY HOUSE HOMELESS BUT NOT HOPELESS
from her family, she was the mother of a 2-month-old and had no place to go.
Barely out of high school, she was pregnant and aging out of foster care. She had no home, no access to prenatal care, and was worried about her baby.
After fleeing a relationship that had become abusive, he also confronted PTSD issues. Because he had a service dog, some landlords were reluctant to rent to him.
An older woman with a heart condition that had rendered her disabled, needed
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housing for herself and her cat; her only companion.
t
Their stories were as unique as the circum-
stances that rendered them homeless. But for one night, they shared something in common: All found a home – at least temporarily – at M. Marie Miller Community House in Kent. Miller Community House, located at 1211 Anita Drive in Kent, is Portage County’s only emergency shelter for homeless individuals and families. Open 365 days a year on a 24/7 basis, it is a haven for those who might otherwise spend the night in their cars, outdoors, or locations such as post office lobbies or laundromats.
“ There is a difference between being homeless and being hopeless,” said Traci Larlham, director of housing services for Miller Community House. “We provide a home and try to offer a sense of hope for people who turn to us for help. We’re in the business of housing, not judgment.” Miller House has no problem filling its 22 beds. The facility is usually at capacity. Last year, it served nearly 200 individuals, including almost 100 children.
rarely fit that description. More often, they are single parents with children; during one week this summer, a newborn and two children under six months old were staying there. Last year, five infants spent their first night “at home” in cribs there.
Homelessness happens every day. It is usually unexpected.
Others seeking shelter may find themselves without housing because of job loss, changes in their domestic status, illness, emotional trauma, or because family and friends no longer welcome their couch-surfing. Some are simply overwhelmed by life. “Many have discovered that they were only a paycheck or two away from being without a place to live,” Larlham said.
While stereotypes of the homeless may bring to mind images of disheveled men on park benches, residents of Miller Community House
It isn’t unheard of for two-parent families to turn up at Miller House even though both adults are working full-time. The average rent
Residents can remain there for up to 30 days, with the understanding that their time is to be spent actively seeking permanent housing.
Continued on page 20
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T he one-story residence has five bedrooms, enabling families to remain together. Some rooms are set up for individuals on a shared basis. All have been decorated by civic groups, churches or individuals that have “adopted” them by providing bedding, window treatments, and paint. Because of wear and tear, refreshing the living quarters is an ongoing effort.
Continued from page 19 for a two-bedroom apartment in Kent is about $800 per month (plus security deposit). That may be close to impossible to manage for a minimum-wage household. “These aren’t people who spend their nights under bridges,” said Larlham. “Most of them had homes and are finding themselves in need of shelter for a variety of reasons. In some cases, that can happen overnight. Nobody chooses to be homeless.” isitors to Miller Community House frequently V observe that “it doesn’t look like a shelter.” There are no dormitory-style rooms filled with cots, nor is there the antiseptic smell that often masks the presence of strangers living in close quarters. “For the people staying here, this is home,” said Larlham. “We want them to be comfortable and safe here.”
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Residents share a large, comfortably furnished living room; recently renovated by Leadership Portage County, a kitchen, and a dining area where families can gather for meals. There is a children’s playroom and a separate activities area for teenagers. A large outdoor play set is a new addition, thanks to the generosity of the Christensen Foundation of Kent and Davey Tree Expert Company. Nearby is a row of donated bicycles that get frequent use. Exiting children can take a bike with them, which helps provide a sense of belonging in their new neighborhood. Housing specialists meet with new arrivals to determine their immediate needs. Those who are hungry are fed. Accommodations are made for those who are disabled or are dealing with physical or mental health challenges. Some who have been rendered homeless by an emergency may arrive with nothing more than what they are wearing. The aid of the County Clothing Center and other support agencies is enlisted. E ach arrival is given a set of bedding and towels; which they may keep, as well as personal care items, and toiletries. Large plastic containers are available for their belongings. The facility is staffed around-the-clock. Staff members have learned “to expect the unexpected.” When a recent arrival was accompanied by a small dog, a Facebook
appeal seeking dog food and other supplies met with an immediate response. When an infant “came home” to Miller House, a virtual baby shower – again, via Facebook – brought gifts of diapers and knitted baby clothes. Long-term needs also are assessed and efforts are made to remedy them. The mother of the two-year-old received access to medical care that slowed her seizures as well as parenting help to build her confidence with her child. Housing was found for the resident with PTSD issues and his service animal. The pregnant teenager was assigned to a housing program and put in touch with agencies that provided prenatal care, a crib, and a car seat for her baby. A ground-floor apartment in a complex that welcomed animals, was found for the older disabled woman and her pet. Residents are admitted to Miller Community House knowing that they are being offered emergency shelter for a limited period. Housing specialists provide support and referrals to assess their needs and to seek a means of addressing them. Follow-up meetings help provide guidance on how to meet rent and security deposit fees. Progress toward finding permanent housing is monitored. “People know that they are here temporarily and are encouraged to spend their time looking for housing. Thirty days can go by quickly,” Larlham said.
as director of Kent Social Services and other non-profit agencies in Portage County. Miller, who died in 2010, was proud but humbled to have the shelter named for her. She often reminded others than no one knows the circumstances that create need.
agency that is among the largest social service providers in Northeastern Ohio. It relies on state funding for much of its operating budget. Despite a growing need for shelters for those experiencing homelessness, state support has been declining for the past decade.
The facility was established in 1985 by Kent Social Services to address emergency shelter needs for adults and children in Portage County. It moved to its present location in 2002 and opened debt-free, thanks to the support of community partners, individuals, churches, and civic groups. The shelter itself was a cooperative venture of Habitat for Humanity of Portage County and Hummel Construction Company, its general contractor.
More funding cuts are likely in the future, which adds to the challenge of providing services for Portage County’s homeless, according to Mark Frisone, Executive Director of Family & Community Services. “Our mission is to help those who need help. Miller Community House meets a need that isn’t going to go away,” he said.
Miller Community House is among more than 70 programs overseen by Family & Community Services, Inc; the Ravenna-based non-profit
“With community support, we can continue to fulfill our role of being a home for those who are struggling,” said Traci Larlham. “Together, we can provide safety, comfort, opportunities for success – and hope.”
HOW CAN YOU HELP MILLER COMMUNITY HOUSE AND THE PEOPLE IT SERVES? Miller Community House has launched a two-year campaign – Homeless, But Not Hopeless – to highlight its need for operating funding, with a goal of raising $40,000 over the next two years.
• A $25 cash donation covers the cost of a single bed for the night. A $100 donation provides housing for a family of four. A $1,000 donation provides housing and support for a family for 30 days.
The State of Ohio requires homeless shelters to achieve a success rate of 40 percent, meaning that 40 percent of the residents leave the facility bound for permanent housing. The success rate for Miller House residents is 72 percent.
• S maller donations are welcome, too. Gift cards for gasoline and groceries are always needed. A $10 gas card may mean the difference between making it to a job interview or missing it. A bagful of groceries can help a family with dinner.
Miller Community House is named in honor of the late M. Marie Miller, a longtime advocate for the disadvantaged, who earned a reputation as a force for social justice while serving
•C onsider “adopting” a room by providing paint, bedding, and furnishings.
•D onations of basic pantry staples and coffee are appreciated. So are diapers and toiletries, towels, and single-bed sheets.
For other donation ideas, contact Miller Community House at 330-673-0034.
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Rachel Brown Singer and Songwriter
Dr. Patrick O’Connor
The Road Less Traveled is a recurring feature that describes the path creative, interesting people took to get to where they are in life. Most creative people have traveled very interesting paths to get to where they are … usually zig-zagging a lot, shifting artistic gears, retracing steps, exploring new passions, revisiting previous works,
The musical Road Less Traveled for singer/ songwriter Rachel Brown has indeed been a long one with strong family influences. Two of the biggest influences have been her parents and her aunts, Rachel and Agnes. Her parents, Adam and Helen Brown, have a lifelong love for traditional country music. They even converted an outbuilding (The Barn) on their property into a music venue where family and friends could 'jam' every Friday night. Rachel (and later her children) grew up there, playing and singing with her family and friends. The Barn (near Wadsworth) is a very warm and lively setting where a number of local musicians play their
failing a whole bunch, and generally bouncing back often. All these experiences are part of their creative profile and serve to motivate and inspire them. This feature tells that story. This issue of The Road Less Traveled explains the path of singer/songwriter Rachel Brown.
Author note: If a reader would like to suggest someone to be considered as the subject of a future Road, e-mail the publisher at info@aroundkent.net.
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country favorites while some 50 – 60 family and friends enjoy the music sitting in church pews. One evening, I saw the warmth and friendship live as Helen and Adam were celebrating their 63rd wedding anniversary. Adam, Rachel, and son Andrew (three generations) teamed up to do a few songs together. It was evident everyone has been enjoying this celebration for a very long time. The Barn is still going strong after approximately 40 years. Rachel and the Beatnik Playboys play there occasionally. Rachel also performed a special anniversary song she wrote for her parents on their special day.
The Brown Sisters nother major influence for A Rachel was The Brown Sisters. Aunts
“
I took the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.
The song sort of wrote itself. Songs do that sometimes.
— Robert Frost
”
Rachel and her namesake Aunt Rachel Brown
— BOB DYLAN — on May You Stay Forever Young
Rachel and Agnes were a popular country duo in the 60s and 70s. They also were friends with many top country performers at the Grand Ole Opry. It was a real treat for her to visit them in Nashville and go backstage to meet the stars. On one visit, around age 12, she actually sang for the legendary Roy Acuff in his dressing room at Ryman Auditorium. Later that evening, she performed on the Ernest Tubb Radio Show on WSM – “The Most Famed Country Music Station in the World”. What an amazing and motivating experience for a young artist to be in such esteemed company. She now had a solid musical foundation thanks to her parents, her aunts, and her own talent and determination. She even wrote a song titled “My Namesake” in honor of her Aunt Rachel. The Tradition Continues The family musical tradition continues with her children Sarah and Andrew who have strong musical backgrounds. Among other musical accomplishments, both played string instruments in the Contemporary Youth Orchestra (CYO). CYO is a Cleveland area ensemble dedicated to preparing 115 high school students for confident careers in
the creative arts. Sarah is studying chemical engineering at Case Western Reserve University. Andrew is a music major at Cleveland State University.
Deep and Wide Musical Roots Rachel loves and has performed a wide variety of musical styles. She has performed as a solo artist, in a few duos, a trio, and many different bands over the years. She has also opened for Willie Nelson, Ricky Skaggs, and the Judds,
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among other performers. She plays classical, country, bluegrass, jazz, blues, honky-tonk, rock-n-roll, and probably a few styles without names. She finds they are all connected and inspirational when played with musicians who enjoy artistic merit and respect each other. Music and playing is more about enjoying what you do and learning from each other rather than competition. Side projects and interchangeable parts enable that to happen. Continued on page 24
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regain her confidence and interest in performing. This slowly evolved into a few small gigs and then a few other musicians were added. This morphed into Rachel and the Beatnik Playboys (2008). Everything happened somewhat organically.
Rachel in a very familiar place
Miss Brown Rachel’s musical roots have also grown into being a professional music educator. She feels very fortunate that she has found a way to balance her love of performing and teaching. For the last 18 years, her middle school students know her as Miss Brown; music teacher and choir director. This is a bit ironic since school was difficult for Rachel. She comments that she was a bit awkward, introverted, and felt like an outsider at school. During high school, she taught piano lessons while playing in clubs and taverns. She spent most of her time around adults. As such, she had little in common with other high school students or the activities they enjoyed. However, she did excel in band, choir, and jazz band.
Continued from page 23 Her main groups have been Rachel and the Beatnik Playboys and Sisters in Song. Sisters in Song is a popular group with Rachel and her musical friends Kristine Jackson, Becky Boyd, and Emma Shook; violinist for the Cleveland Orchestra. At one point, she and each of the Boys were in Hillbilly Idol. Rachel graduated high school a year early to satisfy her desire to perform. Her parents have always been supportive and escorted her to numerous music venues for years. Along the way, she went to The University of Akron as a 25-year-old freshman to major in music education. She picked up her music education license and took a position as a music teacher and choir director at a middle school. She
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followed that credential a few years later with a master’s degree in music education. She had performed steadily for about 20 years and was getting a bit weary of constant touring and the grind of playing top 40 hits. She decided to take a break from performing. She set up a studio in her home to work on writing her own music. It had been 4 – 5 years since she had performed publicly (still playing at The Barn, though) when she reconnected with her friend, Bill Watson. He encouraged her to return to music by just practicing and playing music she wanted to play, including her own material. They got together in her studio and started playing her original songs. This helped her
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Rachel has learned that middle school students will do anything for you, if they think you believe in them. They want adults to be proud of them. She works her students hard because she wants them to succeed. She sets very high expectations and challenges them. Most of the time, they respond. For some students, especially those in at-risk situations, the arts and music may be the only place where they excel. Music often appeals to a part of the brain that other subjects do not. In some cases, this is what keeps students focused and gives them a reason to come to school. Playing music requires considerable discipline, which helps keep students engaged and improves academic performance.
Rachel and the Beatnik Playboys Rachel and the Beatnik Playboys, based in Cleveland, has a wide repertoire of music evolving from their many years of experience. A sampling of the groups they have been in are the Numbers Band (15 60 75), Alex Bevan, Clearfork, and the Gopher Broke Swing Band. Many musicians frequently perform in a variety of groups. In some respects, it seems like they are almost interchangeable pieces in a big musical puzzle.
“The more they respect the music, the more it means.” — MISS BROWN —
The Beatnik Playboys consist of Dave Huddleston (guitar and vocals), Bill Watson (bass and vocals) and drummer Roy King.
All are seasoned, excellent musicians in their own right, having performed with many musical groups over the years. Rachel describes “The Boys” as kind, articulate, creative, and supportive of her music. Their performances reflect the experience and professionalism they all bring to the band. The band has four CDs out featuring many original songs written by Rachel. They are “Just Look My Way”, “Once Again”, “Look Who’s Back”, and “Rachel Sings Patsy”. Continued on page 26
The band poses in the Flats of Cleveland
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Continued from page 25 The band received its name from Rachel’s daughter, Sarah. Band member Bill Watson often wore a beret and she thought he looked like a Beatnik in it. She also thought the guys were fun; sort of like playboys. Drummer Roy King commented that he “always wanted to be a Beatnik and a playboy and now I am”. The band practices extensively and plays as many as five performances a week. They are a busy, busy band, especially for a group who all have "day jobs". Rachel is also quite involved in the band management side of things. This takes up a lot of time, even with an agent. Promotion, logistics, recording, travel, and other duties are essential to supporting the overall band. She is constantly on the move. The hard work has paid off as they are a very polished foursome and make performing look easy. In some performances, they select a theme focusing on the work of a favorite performer such as Linda Ronstadt or Patsy Cline. Cline serves as a role model for Rachel as she was the first female solo artist inducted in the Country Music Hall of Fame. They also love to play what they enjoy. In these shows, the play list is sort of made up on the spot. For a sampling of their music and their extensive tour dates, check out their website: www.rachelbps.com.
Music: A Lens for Life Music is more than something Rachel does, it is who she is. It is how she views the world. A fine line exists, if there is one at all, between her personal and professional lives. Music flows through all aspects of her life and is always there for everything life brings her. It has comforted her through some tough times
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“It takes a lot of effort to make something look effortless.” — KRISTEN CHENOWETH — from A Little Bit Wicked
with almost a therapeutic quality. It has also helped her celebrate the many wonderful people and events in her life. Considering her strong stage presence, many are surprised to learn that Rachel is actually a bit shy and reserved. Writing and performing bring out another side of her; the one we see on stage. She feels she is musically successful when she lets “creativity lead the way”. She’s fond of the music of singer/songwriter Nathan Bell. She and the band covered two of his songs: “Whiskey you Win” and “Gone is Gone”. Another cover is “No Lock No Key” by Robert Kidney of the Numbers Band (15 60 75). Rachel believes music can do for others what it has done for her. This belief comes alive in her work with the DREW (Delivering Restorative Energy to our Warriors) project. This project partners song writers with veterans to assist them in writing songs related to their military experiences. The project is named in honor and memory of Drew Ferguson, a Green Beret and Airborne Army Ranger from Avon Lake. Drew served in Afghanistan and Iraq, receiving three Bronze stars. DREW is one aspect of the Music on a Mission program. For more information on the program and the DREW project, visit http://www.musicmissioninc.com/.
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The following lyrics are from a song Rachel and a veteran John Sekletar wrote titled “Valor Hearts”: As I sleep on the floor of this cold, dark place The voices I hear, I can’t escape Of friends, I once had that fought by my side Their names on a wall, I silently cry
Next Steps on the Road for Rachel Brown Rachel is highly motivated to be the “best songwriter I can be”. Her journey will continue in many ways to realize that goal with music at the center of it. She wants music to be “a force in favor of good things happening to good people”. She will continue to participate
“We write when we are happy, we write when we are sad.” — RACHEL BROWN —
in the DREW project and celebrate the musical heritage of her family. She is especially thrilled to be part of her children’s life adventures as young adults, including their music. She is looking forward to many more performances with “The Boys”. A possible tour of England is in their future. Everything in her life points her toward being the best songwriter she can be. “ My best friend is my song it’s been there all along” You can’t go wrong when your best friend is your song” “My Best Friend is My Song” Rachel Brown, 2014
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Akron Art Museum Exhibits Karl and Bertl Arnstein Galleries October 27, 2018 – January 21, 2019
Jeff Donaldson: Dig Jeff Donaldson: Dig, the artist’s first museum retrospective, explores Donaldson’s fourdecade career. Spanning his 1960s-era activist roots in Chicago to his influence on generations of artists as a professor at Howard University and vice president of the Barnes Foundation, this major exhibition presents new scholarship and features works never before seen in public. For the first time, Dig presents Donaldson’s early works alongside his lesser known paintings from the 1980s and 1990s. In 1968, Donaldson co-founded the African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists (AfriCOBRA). Formed in Chicago, AfriCOBRA was born of political and social unrest, in an art world privileging white artists and audiences. AfriCOBRA sought to create art that was not only politically engaged but celebrated contemporary Black culture and appealed specifically to Black audiences. Donaldson’s paintings, prints, and mixed media works combine energetic colors, intricate patterns, and African iconography to celebrate the history of African art and the roots of Black culture. This exhibition reflects on Donaldson’s belief in an artist’s responsibility to create work that is both socially relevant and visually striking. Jeff Donaldson: Dig includes important AfriCOBRA memorabilia along with iconic examples of Donaldson’s early work recognized for its high energy “coolade” palette. The psychedelic associations of Donaldson’s style tapped into the countercultural zeitgeist
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Majorities Jeff Donaldson, 1977, mixed media, 44 x 36”, Private collection, Courtesy of Kravets Wehby Gallery, New York
Stone Singer Jeff Donaldson, 1996–1999, acrylic on canvas, 66 x 36”, Private collection, Courtesy of Kravets Wehby Gallery, New York
of the 1960s and 1970s. In Majorities, a mixed media work from 1977, two female figures dominate the symmetrical composition. Their faces are obscured by halo-like circles rimmed with tiny renderings of flags from countries around the world. A winged scarab appears in the lower center of the work, representing the Egyptian god Khepri, who was associated with creation, regeneration, and eternal existence. Stone Singer, an acrylic painting on canvas from 1996–1999, exemplifies the artist’s late work and his keen interest in music. The composition features a central female figure in a white dress against a background of vivid colors and repeating shapes. Her eyes and nose are covered with stripes, placing emphasis on her mouth, as though depicted mid-song.
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The Courtship Allison Zuckerman, 2018, acrylic and archival CMYK ink on canvas, 84 x 73 in. Collection of Rolando Jimenez, Courtesy of the artist and Kravets Wehby Gallery, New York
Allison Zuckerman: Pirate and Muse Sources of creative inspiration for artists, muses throughout art history have been portrayed as sensual playthings for male artists—often depicted nude, in prone, passive positions and situated in romanticized settings. Allison Zuckerman turns those conventions upside down, repurposing muses to cut right to the uncomfortable and sometimes painful truths of women’s existence. She plunders Western art history, dismantling bodies and piecing together new ones that expose vulnerability and imperfection. Amalgams of body parts and clothing from artists [all male] throughout history and set against background elements taken from artists as well as pop culture imagery, Zuckerman’s figures emerge unruly, awkwardly proportioned, even glitchy. But their overwhelming presence commands attention and space. An arsenal of bluebirds, fruit, cakes, teardrops, flowers, flags and scrolling banners meanwhile form a protective force field around them.
What We Cannot See Allison Zuckerman, 2018, acrylic and archival CMYK ink on canvas, 68 x 84”, Courtesy of the artist and Kravets Wehby Gallery, New York
Pirate and Muse features new paintings and sculptures that evidence the artist’s embrace of the label “pirate”—Zuckerman brazenly—and proudly—steals from other artists. A Picasso head, Lucas Cranach torso, Cezanne fruit, Lichtenstein brushstrokes, and Disney bluebirds comingle to create a grotesque, unapologetic encapsulation of the absurdly submissive way that female figures have been depicted throughout art history. Zuckerman sees herself as swooping in to rescue and empower these figures. She is proposing a way forward that is more honest, more embracing of the plurality of women’s identities. She states that her work represents a “marginalized perspective that’s been cast aside—one that’s emotional, unsure, and vulnerable yet powerful in the conviction of belonging in the world.”
All is Well Allison Zuckerman, 2018, acrylic and archival CMYK ink on canvas, 60 x 80”, Courtesy of the artist and Kravets Wehby Gallery, New York
Technology and social media figure prominently in Zuckerman’s work. She composes her paintings digitally, grabbing body parts, accessories, and background elements from online sources, then printing the compositions on canvas and painting on the surface. The artist likens her process to the way people carefully curate the identities they present on social media. Cobbled together from disparate sources, her figures are performances of people that when examined closely—like her cut-out sculptures—only exist in a flattened reality. Meanwhile, pixelated areas censor arbitrary sections of landscape, a portion of an arm or an innocent bird. The apparent random pixelation gives the impression that the painting is still resolving itself. Which is exactly the point.
Upcoming Exhibition-Related Events
Philosophers and Bather Allison Zuckerman, 2018, acrylic and archival CMYK ink on canvas, 84 x 71 1/2”, Courtesy of the artist and Kravets Wehby Gallery, New York
Jeff Donaldson: Dig and Allison Zuckerman: Pirate and Muse Opening Party Friday, October 26 Members Preview • 6 – 8 pm Open to all • 8 – 9 pm Celebrate the opening of two major exhibitions at the Akron Art Museum at this one-eveningonly party. Fancy or casual, we want to share a great art experience with you, so come as you are and enjoy stunning art from two provocative and groundbreaking artists, along with music, food, and special guests.
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Art Talk: Allison Zuckerman Saturday, November 17 • 2 pm Join Zuckerman in conversation with Chief Curator Ellen Rudolph as they discuss how the artist pillages art history in order to rescue and re-present its muses. Zuckerman talks about adopting other artists’ imagery into her own visual vocabulary, how she deals with the chaotic onslaught of images online and how her paintings suggest new standards of beauty.
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THE SIXTH IN A SERIES OF ARTICLES
Bitcoin Is No Coin
Paul S. Wang
Introduction The digital revolution has brought many significant and wide-ranging changes to our lives – both positive and negative. Understanding the pros and cons of digital technologies and knowing how best to make use of them are part of Computational Thinking (CT). The widely publicized and curiously fascinating Bitcoin, started in January 2009, is a case in point and our focus here. This article is the 6th in our CT series (previous articles in aroundkent.net Vol. 13 to 17) which aims to sharpen our digital minds and give us a powerful way of thinking through a deeper understanding of modern computing technologies.
Bitcoin Is Not Money Promoters say Bitcoin is a particular type of cryptocurrency – a digital currency using encryption techniques to generate currency units, verify fund transfers, and record transactions. Basic denominations of Bitcoin are Bitcoin (BTC) and Satoshi (1 BTC equals one hundred million Satoshis). The highly advanced and convoluted nature of its technologies help make Bitcoin fascinating and curiously inviting. However, whatever Bitcoin is, it is not money. With cash money, you can purchase groceries, meals, and products. You can pay rent and mortgage, make deposits into bank accounts, and all the other things you do with the legal tender, issued by your government, which no
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one can refuse to accept. In contrast, Bitcoin is accepted by almost no one and there is no legal obligation for anyone to accept it as payment. My advice is neither should you.
(often 64 characters) to access bitcoins at that address. The Bitcoin address and the secret key form a key-pair in public-key cryptography. Without the secret key, access is not possible.
Bitcoin Transactions
Bitcoin Transactions Are Not Anonymous
One of the great promises of Bitcoin is anonymity because sending and receiving bitcoins do not require actual identification information. Instead Bitcoin addresses that belong to actual owners are used. This is similar to using screen names or pseudonyms in certain online applications. The amount of bitcoins belonging to any given address is derived from recorded incoming and outgoing transactions. This way, no self-contained tokens are used to represent bitcoins and therefore eliminating the possibility of creating a counterfeit copy. All Bitcoin transactions are recorded publicly in online blockchains. A blockchain is basically a widely distributed (duplicated) database for a certain activity. A blockchain usually serves as an immutable ledger of transactions shared among participants. New transactions are verified, grouped into a data block, and placed at the end of a chain of such blocks; hence the name. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies depend on the blockchain technology. However, the blockchain technology is independent and can be applied in many other areas and situations. The Bitcoin blockchain lists chronologically all Bitcoin transactions ever made by all users, from the very first to the latest transaction. The Bitcoin blockchain is transparent (accessible to the public) and uses cryptography to safeguard its integrity. Each recorded transaction contains the amount to be sent to a receiving electronic Bitcoin address (usually about 30 characters in length) owned anonymously by a particular user. The user holds a corresponding secret key
All these elaborate arrangements provide a certain degree of protection but can not guarantee transaction anonymity. Using bitcoins involves online activities on the part of the payer and the payee. To make a transaction, a payer must usually login to a Bitcoin exchange to use a wallet containing her/his bitcoins. The user must also have interactions with shopping carts and checkout systems online. These and other required online activities provide multiple chances for tracking and can easily result in linking a Bitcoin address to the identity of its real owner, and consequently to all transactions connected to that Bitcoin address via data in the blockchain. According to an August 23, 2017 MIT Technology Review article, “Bitcoin Transactions Aren’t as Anonymous as Everyone Hoped.” It is hard to argue that Bitcoin is more anonymous than cold cash.
Bitcoin Is Not Heaven for Criminals In fact, Bitcoin may be the perfect trap law enforcement agencies can use to catch criminals. As the March 9, 2016 Science article “Why criminals can’t hide behind Bitcoin” states: Ross Ulbricht, the 31-year-old American who created Silk Road, a Bitcoin market facilitating the sale of $1 billion in illegal drugs, was sentenced to life in prison in February 2015. In March, the assets of 28-year-old Czech national Tomáš Jiříkovský were seized; he’s suspected of laundering $40 million in stolen bitcoins. Two more fell in September 2015:
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33-year-old American Trendon Shavers pleaded guilty to running a $150 million Ponzi scheme – the first Bitcoin securities fraud case – and 30-year-old Frenchman Mark Karpelès was arrested and charged with fraud and embezzlement of $390 million from the now shuttered Bitcoin currency exchange Mt. Gox. The majority of Bitcoin users are law-abiding people motivated by privacy concerns or just curiosity. But Bitcoin’s anonymity is also a powerful tool for financing crime: The virtual money can keep shady transactions secret. The paradox of cryptocurrency is that its associated data create a forensic trail that can suddenly make your entire financial history public information.
You must keep your private key safe and remember it. Forget that key and you have lost all your bitcoins. They are gone forever and there is no way to get them back!
Bitcoin Is Not Convenient To buy, sell, and use bitcoins online, you usually must pick a Bitcoin exchange, something better than the now defunct Mt. Gox hopefully, and establish an account which usually also gives you an online Bitcoin wallet. To use bitcoins, you must first get some. You can purchase bitcoins which will be placed into your wallet. Payment can be with credit card, bank transfer (ACH), or debit card (there goes your anonymity). Continued on page 34
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Continued from page 33 You must keep your private key safe and remember it. Forget that key and you have lost all your bitcoins. They are gone forever and there is no way to get them back! Bitcoin transactions can incur relatively high fees that are calculated according to a complicated formula making the fee amount uncertain for most users. At times, the fee can be ridiculous. “Just imagine, if you bought a $2 coffee with bitcoin, you would have had to pay $57 to make that transaction go through,” said Hyun Song Shin head of research, the Bank for International Settlement. Bitcoin transactions can be slow to confirm due to the possibility of double spending (spending already-spent bitcoins). They are also irreversible – once made, there is no cancellation of a Bitcoin transaction. Compared to online payments by debit/credit cards, by Paypal, or by Alipay, Bitcoin is a poor and inconvenient choice at best.
Bitcoin Is Not An Investment A bitcoin is not a coin which is made of a material that has at least some intrinsic value. Neither is it a currency backed by the full faith and credit of a government or tied to some substance such as gold or silver. It is some digital data contained in blockchains and what value is that? Unlike commodities or stocks, the value of bitcoins is pure speculation. There is no rational way to estimate its value at all. The January 19, 2018 Financial Times article “I told you investing in bitcoin was a bad idea” says: Its value peaked just before Christmas at $19,434 per virtual coin. By this week, it had plunged to more like $9,000. Down more than 50 percent in a month and many, many billions along the way.
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The price of one bitcoin was down to around $6,200 in the third week of June 2018. At that time, US regulators opened a price manipulation probe requesting data from several cryptocurrency exchanges. On June 11, 2018, CNN Money reported “The price of bitcoin slumped more than 7 percent after South Korea’s Coinrail announced that it had been targeted by cyberthieves.” Price fixing has been a reported problem and, in late May 2018, the U.S. Justice Department started a new probe into price manipulation in cryptocurrency markets.
address actually has the funds and the transaction has been signed by the address owner. The first miner who solves the puzzle is the winner and gets to place the next verified block on the block chain. The winner can also claim stipulated rewards. The rewards incentivize mining and include both the transaction fees (paid to the miner in the form of bitcoins) as well as an amount of newly issued bitcoins. The amount was 50 bitcoins in early 2009, when Bitcoin started. The winner reward amount reduces by 50 percent roughly every four years. The rewards are given to the winner in the form of a recorded transaction.
Bitcoin transactions can be slow to confirm due to the possibility of double spending (spending already-spent bitcoins). They are also irreversible – once made, there is no cancellation of a Bitcoin transaction.
For each new block on the blockchain, there is only one winning miner. All other miners are losers and can try their luck on the next block.
Thus, investing in bitcoins is gambling at best. In fact, according to CNN Money, “Warren Buffett says bitcoin is ‘rat poison’.” Stay away if you know what’s good for you.
What Is Bitcoin Mining? Wonder how bitcoins are actually produced? New bitcoins are created through a welldefined and algorithmic process called mining. Anyone with the right computing hardware and software (publicly available) can participate, becoming a miner, from anywhere on the Internet. The mining process, according to Investopedia, involves verifying and compiling recent transactions into blocks and trying to solve a computationally difficult puzzle. Verification is straight forward – making sure the source
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Globally, huge amounts of capital, equipment, and computing power are wasted in this mindless Bitcoin mining effort. It is estimated that Bitcoin mining accounts for about 0.60 percent of the world’s total energy consumption. This is hugely wasteful. A New York Times 2018 article “Is Bitcoin a Waste of Electricity, or Something Worse?” reports: "It appears that much of our evolving digital infrastructure is devoted to activities, like the proliferation of cybercoins, that are worse than frivolous,” said James McAndrews, the former head of research at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. It is an understatement to say that Bitcoin mining is a waste of resources and a serious act of pollution. Some countries have banned Bitcoin mining. Furthermore, there is an upper limit for the number of bitcoins – 21 million. When that number is reached, no more new bitcoins will
be issued as incentive for miners. The lack of incentive for solving puzzles and adding new blocks to the blockchain can lead to a drastic reduction in the number of miners and a timebomb for the continued viable operation of Bitcoin.
Is Bitcoin Not A Scam? Bitcoin is free-for-all to operate and deal. Some people, including former PayPal CEO Bill Harris, say “Bitcoin is a scam.” Even if that is not 100 percent true, the entire Bitcoin enterprise is certainly continuously mired in many, many different kinds of frauds and scams all over the world. The situation is so serious that many Bitcoin exchanges publicize warnings about scams in an attempt to show that they themselves are somehow legit. For example, cointelegraph.com has a “Bitcoin Scams News” page listing many instances. Here are some examples: • In South Africa, a Ponzi scheme involving 28,000 investors has caused losses exceeding 1 billion rand ($80.4 million). • Australian consumers lost approximately $2.1 million to cryptocurrency scams last year, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s annual scams report published May 21, 2018.
The bitcoin.com site has a “Guide to Avoiding Bitcoin Fraud” that warns against: • Fake Bitcoin exchanges and wallets • Phishing scams, Ponzi schemes, and cloud mining scams And these are just some of the dangers one must face and avoid, every step of the way, when dealing with a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin.
Bitcoin Can Be Illegal Due to lack of government supervision, regulation, or control, Bitcoin as well as other similar cryptocurrencies, can be a destabilizing factor for many economies and financial markets. The potential for tax evasion, money laundering, ransomware, illegal drug and arms trade, and even terrorism can be a serious concern. Therefore, many countries have banned or put restrictions on cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. These countries include China, India, Russia, Sweden, and Thailand, among others. The list is growing.
• Reported recently (May 18, 2018), a Chinese government study detected 421 fake cryptocurrencies. In the US, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has created howeycoins.com to demonstrate how easy it is to sell a fake cryptocurrency. Why not pay the site a visit?
Even people who want to use Bitcoin just for fun or privacy should be concerned. A recent article (March 21, 2018) on the New York Post entitled “Blockchain for Bitcoin is Infected with Child Porn” indicated: According to a recent bombshell report, the underlying blockchain ledger that’s used to record bitcoin transactions – a massive online database that grows each time a bitcoin changes hands – contains files that are tainted with hundreds of links to child pornography sites. The bombshell report has been published by scholars from Germany’s RWTH Aachen University. Because the Bitcoin blockchain cannot be altered, the implication is serious, indeed. It means those Bitcoin participants who store a copy of the blockchain can be in violation of child pornography laws. There is no telling what other illegal materials can/will be introduced into the blockchain, by whoever from wherever. Remember, Bitcoin allows public access and manipulation.
All That Glitters Is Not Gold Bitcoin, as well as cryptocurrencies like it, is a new shiny digital object. It glitters for sure but it is not digital gold. It is hard to pin down exactly what Bitcoin is. It is not money because it is neither legal tender nor accepted in most places. It tries to provide anonymity but instead lays a perfect trap that can reveal all transactions of a user. Continued on page 36
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Continued from page 35 Bitcoin is digital and ought to be safe and convenient online, but it is not. Safety and reliability is the foremost concern for online transactions. A well-trusted payment platform that provides guarantee for goods/services delivered and payments made is essential. Banks, credit cards, Paypal, and Alipay are such platforms. Do we have similar platforms for Bitcoin? Real estate, mutual funds, stocks, bonds, precious metals, and other well-established investments have intrinsic value and/or are well regulated to protect investors. They also provide a reasonable expectation of returns. Can a cryptocurrency which can be started by almost anyone with minimal effort be a good investment? The former US Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said Bitcoin was “highly speculative.”
The fact that criminals use Bitcoin for tax evasion, money laundering, illegal drugs, and ransom payments, among other things, should at least give us pause.
tempting. But, even if such exchanges come to pass, they can’t be taken as endorsing investment in certain cryptocurrencies. Remember, major exchanges also dealt with securities that caused the subprime mortgage crisis and the 2007–2008 financial crisis in the USA. It is common sense that the quality of the goods has little to no connection to the market itself. However, if a government considers digital versions of its currency or a bank looks into
Furthermore, something is hardly harmful if it simply glitters. But, Bitcoin is actually illegal in many parts of the world. The fact that criminals use Bitcoin for tax evasion, money laundering, illegal drugs, and ransom payments, among other things, should at least give us pause. Applying CT, we should ask • What purpose am I trying to achieve? • Is using Bitcoin a means to that end? • Is it worth the trouble or risk? • Are there other/better alternatives? Of course, this is generally good thinking. Nasdaq, a well-established security exchange, recently became interested and said it might develop a cryptocurrency exchange platform sometime in the future, according to a May 25, 2018 Investopedia article. For Nasdaq, The potential for additional commissions is certainly
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blockchains as a way to make its operations more secure and robust, I am all for it. For official digital currencies, there are many technical, societal, and legal problems to address along the way and we will see what the future brings. Meantime, keep your cash and don’t throw away your credit/debit cards. I hope you find this article useful and please feel free to email your feedback to me at pwang@cs.kent.edu. A Ph.D. and faculty member from MIT, Paul Wang became a Computer Science professor (Kent State University) in 1981, and served as a Director at the Institute for Computational Mathematics at Kent from 1986 to 2011. He retired in 2012 and is now professor emeritus at Kent State University.
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MEET THE NEWEST PHYSICIANS AT UH PORTAGE MEDICAL CENTER
Jason A. Fried, DO & Hannah Zhou, MD Dr. Fried is a vascular surgeon at University Hospitals Portage Medical Center in the Department of Surgery.
Dr. Zhou is a general surgeon at University Hospitals Portage Medical Center in the Department of Surgery.
Dr. Fried was born and raised in the area and graduated from Hiram College in 1994 with degrees in biology and chemistry. He earned his medical degree from the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Athens, Ohio, and served his residency in general JASON FRIED, DO surgery at Cuyahoga Falls General Hospital. He continued his training as a UH Portage fellow in vascular surgery at South Pointe Professional Center Hospital, South Euclid, Ohio. 6847 N Chestnut St. Suite 100 As a vascular surgeon, Dr. Fried treats Ravenna, Ohio 44266 patients with diseases affecting the blood vessels that supply organs and tissues 330-235-7434 throughout the body, including artery disease affecting the arms and legs (peripheral vascular disease). He offers the newest minimally invasive treatments as well as conventional open surgery for aneurysms and other types of artery disease.
Dr. Zhou grew up in Michigan in the metro Detroit area. She graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 2009 with a degree in chemical engineering. She earned her medical degree from Case Western HANNAH ZHOU, MD Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, and completed her general UH Portage surgery residency at UH Cleveland Medical Medical Center Center. She joined the UH Portage Medical 6847 N. Chestnut St. Center staff in August 2018 on completion Suite 330 of her training. Ravenna, Ohio 44266 Dr. Zhou's special interests include hernia 330-235-7430 repair, gallbladder removal, and colon cancer surgery. She is experienced in minimally invasive procedures for these conditions as well as traditional surgery techniques. During her residency, Dr. Zhou coauthored several research papers published in surgical journals, and she has presented her research findings at local and national physician meetings.
Dr. Fried’s clinical interests include disease of the carotid arteries (arteries in the neck that supply the brain), aortic disease such as aneurysm and peripheral artery disease. He is board certified in general surgery and vascular surgery. He has been in practice for more than 15 years with area hospitals and physician groups and was named to the UH Portage Medical Center staff in August 2018.
In her leisure time, Dr. Zhou enjoys running long distances, reading science fiction, and taking photographs. She lives in the Cleveland area with her husband and two cats. They enjoy taking road trips and traveling together.
Dr. Fried lives in Peninsula with his wife and three children. In his leisure time, he enjoys spending time with his family.
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Urodynamic Studies Now Available AT UH PORTAGE MEDICAL CENTER
University Hospitals Portage Medical Center now offers urodynamics, specialized testing for diagnosing urinary problems such as frequent urination and incontinence.
Mary Deley, APRN, FNP-C, is a certified nurse practitioner with UH Portage Urology. She offers answers here to some of the most common questions about urodynamics. “I believe learning about these studies and knowing what to expect can help put patients more at ease with talking about their urinary problems,” she says. “The results are important in planning the patient’s treatment.”
What is Urodynamics? Urodynamics includes several different studies that give your healthcare provider important
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information about your lower urinary tract. These studies evaluate how well your bladder and other structures of the urinary tract store and release urine and why you might be having problems urinating.
symptoms such as intermittent urination (flow that starts and stops), urinary retention (bladder not emptying completely), frequent or sudden urination, weak stream or frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs).
What Kinds of Problems are Urodynamic Studies used for?
How many Different Tests are Included in Urodynamics?
Urodynamic studies are an aid to diagnosing problems with the lower urinary tract. Incontinence in men and women is one of the most common reasons for urodynamic studies, but not the only one. Urodynamic studies also are used to find the underlying cause for other
Urodynamic testing at UH Portage Medical Center may include: • uroflowmetry • postvoid residual measurement • cystometry • leak point pressure measurement
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Certified Nurse Practitioner Mary Deley, APRN, FNP-C, explains urodynamic testing to a patient. Urodynamic tests are valuable tools for understanding and diagnosing urinary problems.
• pressure flow study • electromyography Depending on your symptoms, your medical history and your physical exam, your healthcare provider may recommend some or all of these tests.
What Should I Expect During and After Urodynamic Testing? At UH Portage Urology, we perform urodynamics in the office. Most of the studies do not require any special preparations. Most patients are able to tolerate the studies without
anesthesia, but we have local anesthesia available for patients who need it. After your tests, you may feel slightly uncomfortable for a few hours when urinating so you may want to rest for the remainder of the day.
Will my Healthcare Provider see my Test Results Immediately? Results for some tests such as flow tests and pressure studies are available immediately after the tests are completed. For other tests, the results are available within a few days. Your healthcare provider will contact you to discuss the results, what they mean and next steps.
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Make an Appointment For comprehensive diagnosis, testing, and consultation for urologic problems contact: UH Portage Urology 3963 Loomis Pkwy Ravenna, Ohio 44266
330-235-7070
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Anne Marie Noble
The Haven
of Portage County
Working to Provide Rest and Restoration to the Homeless and Vulnerable in Portage County
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On a single night in January 2017, an estimated 184,661 people in families of 57,971 family households across the US were identified as homeless. Almost 17,000 people in families were living on the street, in a car, or in another place not meant for human habitation. Over the course of 2016, roughly half a million people in families stayed at a homeless shelter or transitional housing program – 292,166 of them were children, and 144,991 were under the age of six.
How does a family become homeless? Families experiencing homelessness are similar to other families that are also poor, but who have a home to live in. Both may struggle with incomes that are far less than they need to pay for housing. In fact, it is often some jolt to this precarious situation that makes them homeless – a lost job, reduction in work hours, or conflict with family members they are staying with. Homeless families are usually headed by a single woman with limited education, are typically young, and have young children.
Children Children are impacted tremendously when they are homeless – their education, health and sense of safety, and overall development diminish. On the positive side, researchers find that children are highly resilient and differences between children who have experienced homelessness and low-income children who have not, typically diminish in the years following a homeless episode. When compared to low-income and homeless families, children experiencing homelessness have been shown to:
• Have higher levels of emotional and behavioral problems • Have increased risk of serious health problems • Are more likely to experience separations from their families; and • Experience more school mobility, repeat a grade, are expelled or drop out of school, and have lower academic performance
Homelessness is Here in Portage County Right now, there are more than 100 homeless people, just in Kent and Ravenna. Some are living under bridges in Ravenna and Kent – in 2016, there were nearly 85 people living behind Wal-Mart; a group lived off the Portage Bike Path in Kent; and another group were living behind the Re-Store in Kent. At least 208 people are on benefits as “homeless” in Portage County and 33% of the homeless at the Haven of Rest in Summit County are actually Portage County residents.
Working For a Solution The Haven of Portage County is working to provide rest and restoration to those homeless and vulnerable in Portage County.
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The Haven of Portage is an organizational team of faith and community partners uniting in this common cause. Their mission is to work toward holistic healing: physical (a bed, meal, housing); spiritual (restoration in Jesus Christ); emotional (safety, counseling, rest); and intellectual healing (life skills, mentoring, and training). The physical project at The Haven of Portage right now is renovating the building for a rescue mission and warming center – the only one in Portage County that addresses each stage of homelessness. One of the biggest goals the Haven of Portage County has is to provide Low Barrier Housing – housing where a minimum number of expectations are placed on people who wish to live there. The aim is to have as few barriers as possible, allowing more people access to services and providing extended housing for those needing more than the usual 30 days. They are partnering with Coleman Professional Services, Hope Village, Ohio Means Jobs, and others so as not to reinvent the wheel and duplicate help and services already in place in the county. Instead, they want to meet the needs where they know that gaps exist – a place to stay for those without a home, help for trafficked women, and solutions for graduated housing. Right now, The Haven of Portage County doesn’t have its doors open; their goal is to be operational this fall/winter season as at least a warming center. They purchased a building and ten acres on State Route 59 between Kent and Ravenna and are working with faith-based and Continued on page 44
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Continued from page 43 other community partners to make the plans a reality. Clean up and repair to the property is underway as they raise funds for full renovation. The organization hired an executive director, Anne Marie Noble, earlier this year, and was granted 501(c)3 status in the summer. They have architectural plans submitted for the full building renovation and continue to spread the word about the organization and
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the mission. One of their biggest events to date, the Arabian Nights Gala, will take place November 3rd. “We want to not only raise money for the organization, we also want to share our vision for filling the gaps with key community leaders at this event.” says Noble. “The homeless and trafficked are in each of our towns, cities, and communities. By working together, we can help them and every community make a real difference in Portage County.”
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A BED FOR THE NIGHT Bertold Brecht
I hear that in New York
At the corner of 26th Street and Broadway
A man stands every evening during the winter months
And gets beds for the homeless there
By appealing to passers-by
It won’t change the world
It won’t improve relations among men
It will not shorten the age of exploitation
But a few good men have a bed for the night
The snow meant for them falls on the roadway
Don’t put down the book on reading this, man
A few people have a bed for the night
For a night the wind is kept from them
The snow meant for them falls on the roadway
But it won’t change the world
It won’t improve relations among men
It will not shorten the age of exploitation.
aroundKent Landmarks
Be the cool friend and give a gift that will be enjoyed for years. Purchase prints, canvas and merchandise online or purchase them framed at McKay Bricker Framing at 141 East Main Street in Kent.
onths
Visit aroundkent.net to order prints.
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volume 18 | 2018 • www.aroundkent.net
LOCAL MUSIC MAKES GREAT GIFTS
BOBBY SELVAGGIO Bobby Selvaggio’s Transcendental Orchestra project was conceived a few years ago with a performance at Severance Hall as a preconcert event before the Cleveland Orchestra. Bobby composed Jazz music that incorporated his Jazz Quartet with a String Quintet that was an eclectic mix of the stylings of Jazz, Rock, Pop, Funk, and Indian/Middle Eastern music. For his Quantum Man recording project, Bobby added Jamey Haddad on percussion and his wife Chelsea on voice to round out the colors and sounds he was hearing. One of his goals was to integrate the String Quintet in such a way that the compositions only work with every element playing, which makes the Transcendental Orchestra a truly unique experience. Bobby was signed by Dot Time Records. www.bobbyselvaggio.com
THE SPEEDBUMPS MO’ MOJO Mo’ Mojo is a hard driving, high energy, Zydeco-based “Party-Gras” Band. The female fronted group features three-part harmonies, accordion, fiddle, guitar, rubboard, sax, trumpet, harp, bass, percussion, and drums. The band visited 8 countries in 2014 – 15 (from Central America to Central Asia), spreading the Zydeco gospel as “Cultural Ambassadors” for the U.S. State Department. The new album has a dozen songs: nine originals; two Zydeco standards meant to pay homage to the musical tradition; and one part cover/part original medley based off of Bob Marley’s, “Stir It Up.” It features a Zydeco-base that blends in reggae, Cajun, blues, instrumental, and indie sounds.
The new album from the Speedbumps “When The Darkness Comes” is a true reflection of the band’s progression from friends writing songs together on the Kent State University campus to an award-winning, nationally touring artist. Unlike any of their previous work, “When The Darkness Comes” uses haunting vocals and electric guitars to build tension within the songs. It's the first album with drummer Danny Jenkins and vocalist Bethany Svoboda both who add a new perspective to the band’s unique style. Written during 2016, there’s a political undertone to the record without it feeling preachy. The Speedbumps look to attain a new group of fans from this release while satisfying its passionate fanbase that has kept the group together for the better part of a decade. www.thespeedbumps.com
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SHIVERING TIMBERS SAMUEL SALSBURY AND MIKE HOVANCSEK The Market of Kashi is a tribute to the human spirit, blending traditional Indian and East Asian influences into an experience that is both lively and meditative. Featuring a diverse array of instruments from around the world – including violin, guitar, sarangi, koto, and sitar – this acoustic collaboration moves from joy to reflection to celebration, reflecting the sacred journey toward self-realization. The collaboration between Mike and Samuel was born from their shared interest in experiential, multicultural music and instruments. Together they mine elements of music from around the world to find, not only common ground, but the sacred essence within. Plan for a journey into the unexpected, one that could shift and flow with your interaction. You may find yourself drawn into deep meditation – or exploding into a tribal dance. Regardless, it will be an exotic, rich and lovely journey. More details on “The Market of Kashi” can be found here: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/ samuelsalsburyandmikehov
is Sarah Benn, Jayson Benn, joined by Daniel Kshywonis, musicians who call Akron, Ohio home. Our story developed when we — Sarah and Jayson Benn — started singing and crafting songs for our then-infant daughter. As she grew, the music began to take shape and a band was born. Our music was discovered by our friend Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys) when we were invited to perform at his birthday party. The first album was subsequently recorded at Auerbach’s Akron studio, a collection of home-spun dark folk songs and fractured fairy tales called “We All Started in the Same Place”.
JACK KIDNEY
RACHEL AND THE BEATNIK PLAYBOYS The album, Look Who's Back, is a creative effort by Rachel and the Beatnik Playboys. Based in Cleveland,the band has a wide repertoire of music evolving from their many years of experience. All are seasoned, excellent musicians in their own right, having performed with many musical groups over the years. Their performances reflect the experience and professionalism they all bring to the band. The band consists of singer/ songwriter Rachel Brown, Dave Huddleston (guitar and vocals), Bill Watson (bass and vocals) and drummer Roy King. For a sampling of their music and their extensive tour dates, check out their website: www.rachelbps.com.
Jack Kidney’s first solo effort. All songs and compositions by Jack Kidney. He also plays all the instruments on this recording. Players: Jack Kidney – guitar, vocals, keyboards, harmonica, tenor sax Track List: Without You, Take It In Stride, Borders End, Footprints On The Moon, First Take, Circus Work, Callin for Rain, Sealin Up The Past
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Order online for pickup or delivery
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THE
AROUND WORLD MUSIC SERIES
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STANDING ROCK CULTURAL ARTS is gearing up for the fourth season of its popular “Around the World” Music Series, which provides listeners an opportunity to experience rarely heard musical traditions from all corners of the globe. This year’s six concerts will feature music of Slovenia, Mexico, Lebanon/Syria/Egypt, Russia, China, and Korea. All performances take place at the North Water Street Gallery, located at 300 North Water Street, Suite H in downtown Kent. All concerts are preceded by a 7:30 p.m. meet-and-greet featuring light food and drinks, and a donation of $10 at the door is suggested. All performances start at 8:00 p.m. and are suitable for all ages.
Patty C & the Guys
Danny Lahood, Arabic Music for the Oud
Saturday, September 22, 2018
Singing in English and Slovenian, veteran musicians Patty Candela and Joe Strukel (with drummer Paul “Pops” Magooch) perform traditional and Cleveland-style polkas, waltzes, and slow songs using both button box and piano accordions. Formed in 2014, the band has attracted a devoted following and been named Button Box Band of the Year by the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame in 2014, 2015, and 2017. Get ready for a toe-tapping evening, because polka music is happy music!
Saturday, November 17, 2018
Mariachi Santa Cecilia Saturday, October 27, 2018
Following their well-received Kent debut in 2017, Northeast Ohio’s premier mariachi band returns for another concert of traditional and modern songs of Mexico and beyond, using trumpet, vihuela, guitarrón, accordion, and voice. The band’s performance is presented in conjunction with Standing Rock’s 16th annual Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration, and traditional Mexican foods (provided by Taco Tonto’s) will be available for a nominal charge.
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In the Middle East, the oud (a fretless pear-shaped lute with 11 strings) is known as the “king of instruments.” Cleveland native Danny Lahood was inspired to learn this instrument by his father, an immigrant from Lebanon. Over the past 40 years he has given well received performances across the U.S., and his skills are in demand in Cleveland’s Arabic community. He will present a solo concert featuring classical, folk, and modern music for oud and percussion, including pieces from Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria (with several songs by his greatest inspiration, the late, great Farid al-Atrash, nicknamed “King of the Oud”).
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Jarrelle Barton, guzheng Saturday, February 2, 2019
The guzheng, an ancient zither from China, is played using a variety of expressive techniques ranging from subtle tone bends to dramatic glissandos. In the hands of a skilled player, it is capable of conjuring in the mind of the listener such images as ripples on water, raindrops tapping on banana leaves, or even torrential storms. Jarrelle Barton, who will be traveling all the way from his home in Minneapolis, is an expressive and imaginative performer who has dedicated himself to this instrument and its traditions. He will present a varied program of traditional, modern, and original music for the guzheng, using instruments with 16 and 21 strings.
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Oleg Kruglyakov, balalaika virtuoso from Siberia Saturday, December 8, 2018
Virtuoso performer Oleg Kruglyakov will present a fascinating and fun-filled program of diverse Russian music on the balalaika, Russia’s distinctive national instrument. In Kruglyakov’s hands its three strings truly sing, in contexts ranging from lively folk songs to expressive classical pieces. Raised in Siberia, Kruglyakov began playing at the age of seven and eventually became a protégé of Yevgeny Grigorovich Blinov, the foremost balalaika virtuoso of the Soviet Union. In the 1980s and ‘90s, he played and toured as soloist with many Russian folk troupes. Now based in Cleveland’s Slavic Village, he has performed since 2007 (along with pianist Terry Boyarsky) as half of the critically acclaimed Russian Duo. Come listen to dazzling playing, spirited singing, and a unique perspective on culture and history.
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Chan E. Park, Korean pansori Saturday, March 16, 2019
Pansori is a unique tradition of story-singing originating in South Korea, in which a solo vocalist, accompanied by a single barrel drum, performs all the roles, as well as the narration. A longtime professor of Korean language, literature, and performance studies at The Ohio State University, Park is one of the foremost exponents of pansori in North America, and endeavors to create a vibrant engagement between performer and audience (this interaction being the “pan” in pansori). For her concert, Park will treat audience members to a performance (in Korean and English) of Sugungga (Song of the Water Palace), an ancient fable in which a turtle uses trickery to lure a wily hare to the undersea palace of the Dragon King.
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Don Abbott
theSnarky Gardener PEOPLE THINK I’M A GARDENING EXPERT. I know this because I’m always being asked questions. I answer those I can, even if I have to make an educated guess. Some, I can’t answer as I don’t have knowledge or experience about their specific plant oriented query. More specifically, I know little to nothing about non-edible plants. If I can’t eat it, I try not to learn about it. There’s only so much room in my little brain for all this botanical information. Have a bald patch in your otherwise perfectly manicured lawn? I don’t care. My yard is often overgrown as the smell of cut grass is the plants’ way of crying out in pain (really) not to mention mowing too low and too much during drought causes brown, dead grass. Need to know about shrubs that your homeowner’s association will approve of? The only thing I know about shrubbery is what I learned from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Flowers? Ask the garden club. People believe I’m a gardening expert because I write about it and seem to know what I’m talking about. In reality, I’m just a guy who has
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failed more than they have. I’ve made small missteps and giant mistakes. I’ve blundered forward, trying new things without proper research, and have been taught by the school of hard knocks. My primary writing motivation is to advise others before uninformed missteps are made. So, without further ado, here are some of my biggest doozies. GARLIC is easy to grow here in Northeastern Ohio, if you know what you are doing. Unlike other edibles, it’s planted in the fall, usually in mid-October, though I did put some in during November last year and it did fine. Once in the ground, cover it with straw or other mulch as it could “heave” out of the earth in the winter months when the ground freezes. The mulch also keeps the weeds down. In the spring, you’ll see little green shoots poking through the straw. If you planted too close, you can pull some to make room while using the greens and tiny bulbs in salads or cooking. During the summer, your garlic will grow bigger until some of the leaves die off in mid-July. Then you carefully pull it out of the ground and let it cure
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for a few weeks. I usually leave it in the garage as it’s both dry and warm. Once it’s ready, I cut off the tops and store the bulbs in mesh bags in my kitchen. The biggest bulbs are used for planting the next fall and the remainder fill my belly over the year. All very easy peasy. In the above instructions, I left out a small, but important detail. The first time I grew garlic, instead of looking up how to do it properly, I planted it like I had done previously with onion sets; with the whole bulb buried in a few inches of dirt. Garlic is different from onions in that garlic bulbs are made up of many cloves. If you cook with garlic, you already know this. I, for whatever reason, did not. In order to properly grow garlic, you plant the individual cloves, using the biggest of them and eating the smaller ones. I didn’t discover my mistake until spring when it was too late to do anything about it. Instead of having separate garlic stalks two to three inches apart, I had crowded clumps all growing together. I did dig a few out to move them to more hospitable distances, but the damage was already done.
The following year, a wiser me planted them correctly and have been reaping the benefits ever since. STARTING YOUR OWN PLANTS from seed is a milestone in a gardener’s “career”. The veggie that lends itself to starting yourself is the ubiquitous homegrown tomato. Of course you can purchase starts in May at a local greenhouse or big box store like the rest of the lemmings, but raising your own little guys is, quite frankly, liberating. There are hundreds (if not thousands) of tomato varieties one can purchase online. Plus, you can save seed from this season’s tomatoes for free seed if you are growing nonhybrid types. Actually, you could technically plant seed from hybrids (otherwise known as F1s) but you wouldn’t know exactly what kind of fruit they would produce. Who doesn’t like a good mystery that you can eat?
“An expert is someone who knows one percent more than you do.” —DON ABBOTT
the indoor plants are relatively huge. You have to pot them up (meaning move them to bigger pots) or put them in the ground. April and May are deceptively evil times for tomatoes. The weather is getting nice and warm with the nights staying above freezing. Thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit is an important line for us gardeners. Most vegetables don’t live through a frost or freeze, though there are exceptions (like the onion, cabbage, spinach, and mint families). You can put blankets (literally and figuratively) over tender outside plants, but Continued on page 54
My first time starting tomatoes went better than most people’s. A big error beginners make is not using a good light source. Seedlings need direct sunlight, not the dim gray rays that filter through the window in the winter. My miscalculation this first season was I started them too early as excitement overtook discretion (early February, if I remember correctly). Tomatoes are ready for transplanting into the soil at six to eight weeks. So, at the outside limit, we are talking early to mid-April. By that time,
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Continued from page 53 it’s, quite frankly, a big pain-in-the-behind. And, if you miss the big freeze, sadness and despair will overtake your garden.
WHEN IT COMES TO WEEDS, I’m quite forgiving. Some gardeners use a scorched earth approach. If they can’t see plain dirt, they are not happy. I tend to be "a live and let live" type of person. Unfortunately, this can lead to an overabundance of unwanted plants. There have been times I’ve had to take a weed eater and even a lawn mower to my garden. Many of these weeds are edible (again, I know lots about plants I can eat), but there is no way on God’s Green Earth I can eat that much. So, my garden is overgrown and, quite frankly, hard to move around in some days. This has been exacerbated by the regular plants I have let go to seed way too much. Specifically, I'm talking about oregano.
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OREGANO is in the mint family, as is peppermint, spearmint, lemon balm, thyme, rosemary, sage, and basil. Only basil and rosemary have issues surviving our Northeast Ohio winters, so the rest come back year after year as perennials. Some mints are known for their invasiveness, especially peppermint, spearmint, lemon balm, and the aforementioned oregano. I knew this about peppermint, and made a concerted effort to plant it where it wouldn’t escape. Yes, when talking about mint, we gardeners talk in terms of a plant’s ability to get away. I didn’t heed the warning about oregano, and to a lesser extent, lemon balm. Oregano has not exactly taken over my regular veggie garden, but it does have quite the presence. I think what really does me in is when oregano flowers bring all the bees to the yard. Bumblebees, honeybees, and native bees of all kinds. I hate to remove something that feeds our little pollinator friends. Of course, this means pollinated oregano turns into millions of seeds, which cause even more oregano flowers the next year. I WROTE A GARDENING BOOK IN 2017 named “The Snarky Gardener’s Veggie Growing Guide”. It can be found on Amazon in both paperback and eBook forms, if you are so inclined. Writing a book is not a trivial task,
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as there are plenty of pieces one needs to put together to make it a success. First, you have to write, which is obvious but needs to be mentioned here. Most people don’t give much thought past this point, but there are many more steps. Once the budding author finishes writing, there is as much, if not more, work with the editing process. This is difficult for the writer to do by himself, as people tend to gloss over what they are familiar with. I did have several different individuals go over my book, helping me to clean up both the writing and the formatting. Nobody likes it when the picture is on one page and the description is on the next. eBooks are easier because if you find a mistake or want to add a little more to the book, you just make your changes to the original document and then upload it. Physical books are worse as once a boo-boo is in there, it’s there until the next print run. With Amazon, they print up a small number ahead of time for quick shipping, but you can have corrections added. My point is that I had thirty or so books shipped to me for book signings and Christmas gifts (spoiler alert for my friends and coworkers). A few months after this initial shipment, I was randomly looking through a book when I found this doozy on page 32. Most tomatoes (especially cherry) are determinate. Which is a big, fat, giant lie. Most tomatoes are indeterminate, which means they grow until a fall frost hits them. This goes to show you that even a gardening expert like me can make mistakes. The best part of these human errors is they can be fixed, except for those of you who bought the original edition. For you, either go in with a marker and add “in” or keep it the way it is so you can cash in with this first print version, once I become famous beyond Kent, Ohio. I know that’s a long shot, but you never know.
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Find your adventure AT HEADWATERS TRAIL, MANTUA VILLAGE & GARRETTSVILLE VILLAGE
THE 8-MILE PORTAGE PARK DISTRICT HEADWATERS TRAIL is a limestone-paved trail built on the former Cleveland-Mahoning Railroad line between Mantua and Garrettsville. In early 2018, the Headwaters Trail got a fresh surface of limestone, new parking, and signage, thanks to funding from ODNR which also provided funding for the acquisition of over a mile of future trail corridor. The trail provides a safe and scenic route for hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. Trail users will pass by beautiful farmland and forests, steep ravines and wetlands, including State Nature Preserves, and the Upper Cuyahoga State Scenic River. Named Headwaters Trail because of the area’s extensive wetlands, springs and headwaters streams, the trail also crosses a continental watershed divide – between the Mahoning River Watershed that drains to the Ohio River then Mississippi River and into the Gulf of Mexico, and the Cuyahoga River Watershed, draining to Lake Erie then out to the North Atlantic. More than just a scenic path, the trail also holds quite a bit of history. At one somber spot, a
stone sign tells of a tragic tale that took place in July 1949 between Asbury and Limeridge Roads. A locomotive pulling a mile-long freight train threw a main rod which punctured the boiler, causing a terrible derailment. The fireman was thrown to his death while the engineer and brakeman were scalded by the steam. The plaque at the site tells the complete story. At State Route 700, a plaque also commemorates the once beautiful Jeddo Station, the depot for Hiram in earlier times. Additionally, Garrettsville is the site of the Great Train Robbery of 1935. Machine toting robbers appropriated over $46,000 in this brazen raid, pulling in G-Men to apprehend Alvin “Creepy” Karpis, and leaving the G-Men tag as the mascot for the Garfield School District athletic teams. Experience the beauty and enjoy the history. The Headwaters Trail is a part of the 2018 Wild Hikes Challenge; participation forms are available in the park office or online. For more information on the Headwaters Trail and other trails managed by the Portage Park District visit portageparkdistrict.org.
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THE POINT OF THIS ARTICLE is to point out that practicing Christianity is incompatible with enthusiasm for handguns. I specify handguns because, while handgun hunting is a subset of hunting with firearms, it is practiced by a small percentage of people compared to those who use bows, crossbows, and rifles. The impetus for this article was a recent meeting with a man who described himself as a “gun-carrying, freedom-loving, tongue speaking Christian.” As a psychologist with background in theology, I was immediately riveted as to how a person could embody two such antithetical allegiances. I’ve spent a lot of time with gun-carriers and patriots. I’ve also spent a great deal of time with Christians whose worship practice includes the gift of speaking in tongues. But, I’ve never really met anyone who claimed to embody all of the above. I hope that writing about it will encourage others to think about whether “guns and God” really go together. I have some background for the task. Earlier in my life, I
was on course to become an Episcopal priest. It was the intervention of my mentor in the church that led me from theology to psychology. In the meantime, I had learned a great deal about Christianity. I’ve also trained with rented handguns; learning the basics of shooting and maintaining the weapon, though I’ve never wished to own or carry one. So, with that said, here are my thoughts and feelings on the issue.
What Would Jesus Do? “WWJD” or “What Would Jesus Do?” became a popular meditation in the 1990s for followers of Christianity to contemplate the moral imperative to act in a manner that would demonstrate the love of Jesus through their own actions. This spurned a small industry of WWJD wristbands worn by Christians of many denominations (there are over two-hundred fifty variations of Christianity practiced in North America) to remind them of that imperative. A moral imperative is a strongly felt principle
Shootout AT THE GOLGOTHA CORRAL
Now, in fairness, Jesus is thought to have done most of his preaching beginning about A.D. 27 and this lasted about one to three years. Jesus’ life was lived under the Roman Empire in which the most advanced weaponry were javelins, swords, and daggers. The “poor man’s conceal and carry” was more often than not a rock or a stick which the people of the times used with great zeal. From the stories about him, Jesus’ methods seem far subtler than beating someone with a rock or a stick. In a story from the Gospel of John, a woman is about to be stoned for alleged adultery. The scribes and Pharisees making the accusations ask Jesus if the woman should be stoned as was the rule under Mosaic law. He tells the accusing crowd that the one among them without sin should cast the first stone. This seemed to induce cognitive dissonance in the members of the mob, deflate their self-importance, and they dispersed. Jesus then asks the woman if anyone has condemned her. She says no one has and he says that he does not condemn her either and advises her to go forth and try to do better (“sin no more”). Jesus seems far more adept at human psychology than I’ll ever be. I would make a case that Jesus was pointing the people in the crowd back to themselves. Who among us has not missed the mark (the Greek etymology of “sin”) in living out our moral code whether Christian, atheist, Muslim, Buddhist, etc? In suggesting the people examine their own behaviors, Jesus was
Elliott Ingersoll, Ph.D.
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that, ideally, should affect a person’s behavior. In this case, that behavior would be the Christian’s; trying to respond to situations as Jesus might have. So how might carrying handguns be compatible with this imperative? What about “guns ‘n God?”
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encouraging a type of self-reflection that is in short supply today. If we are responsible for our behaviors, we are responsible for the stories we tell ourselves that underlay our behaviors. What sorts of stories do people encourage in their own minds to talk themselves into carrying a handgun? In many cases, people have been victims of violence and want to protect themselves from further violence. Fair enough, but even then, if one is assaulted by surprise, one is unlikely to be able to pull the weapon, switch off the safety, and fire. As a psychologist, many people have told me unrealistic stories they tell themselves about being the “good guy with a gun” (these are almost always men). Their fantasies about breaking up a robbery or assault fail to include overcoming the delay in reaction time that adrenalin and surprise usually cause, how to differentiate between bystanders and “bad guys”, as well as the fact that handguns are exponentially less accurate as the distance between the gun and the target increases. All these factors make the “good-guy-with-a-gun” more fantasy than reality. If it were a common scenario, we’d hear more stories of it working out that way. Later in the same Gospel (the story appears with variations in other Gospels), Jesus has been betrayed by Judas who has led yet another mob to him. Their aim is to haul Jesus off to what we would call a “kangaroo court” where, as readers know, he is eventually railroaded to the death penalty. In this version of the story, the first apostle Jesus enlisted, Simon Peter (known as Peter), whips out a sword and cuts off the ear of the high priest’s servant. Even in biblical times, servants get the short end of the existential stick. Now, the “good-guy-with-a-gun” mentality would have
the apostles whip out their sticks and beat the mob senseless. This of course does not happen. Rather than use the moment to stage a dramatic get-away, Jesus simply admonishes Peter and submits to arrest. While Jesus certainly had a destiny that differs from mere mortals, what does this teach us? Jesus’ response to Simon
Peter is to basically say, “Put your sword away. This is the cup the Father has given me; shall I not drink it?” It seems to be his way of saying “Who are you to dispute my destiny?” Peter’s indignation fades to self-preservation as he later denies Christ three times, much to his own chagrin and shame. So what are we to learn from these stories? While some biblical scholars note that the story of Jesus and the adulteress may have been a later addition to stories about him, most agree it was to demonstrate that Jesus came to save, not condemn, humanity. The story manages to convey that he understood the law as well as he understood the accusers’ motivations. In doing so, I am guessing he diverted them from a course of action they would regret. I imagine Jesus might find a way of reminding a “goodguy-with-a-gun” that there is a heavy price to pay for taking a life, and point that person inward to consider their own motivations. As for his arrest and subsequent execution, Jesus
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says that his kingdom was not of this world and, if it were, his servants would fight to prevent his arrest. So again, he astutely recognizes our species will always fight over kingdoms rooted in this world. But, if someone is wondering “What would Jesus do?” then haven’t they put their stock in a better world yet to come? A better world to be made here? Anyone wondering what Jesus would do, would surely explore other means of intervening and perhaps offering a chance to the victim and the “bad guy.” This raises another theme that is consistent in the practice of Christianity and other religions – the possibility of what some theologians call “metanoia,” a change of heart or spiritual conversion so complete that it transforms a person for the better. In this case, “for the better” usually means with more concern for their fellow beings and what is important in life. It was, in fact, just such a conversion that transformed Saul of Tarsus into the person most Christians recognize as St. Paul – the person who more than anyone brought Christian teachings to the first-century world. As “Saul,” he was dedicated to “breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord” and otherwise persecuting the early disciples of Jesus. Imagine a “good-guy-with-a-gun” getting to Saul before God did on the road to Damascus. Can we ever truly know what another human is capable of or how their destiny may unfold? Can we ever truly account for what is potentially lost if a life is taken? When did so many in our society stop thinking about such questions? I hope thosewho believe “guns and God” go together will at least start considering what that really means.
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THE OUTSIDE VOICES HEY MAVIS Americana-folk band “Hey Mavis” was born in 2009 as part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park artist-in-residence program. Producer Don Dixon (REM/Smithereens/Red Clay Ramblers) “discovered” the group on a Michael Stanley Christmas compilation CD and immediately agreed to produce their debut album, Red Wine. The CD quickly climbed the national Folk DJ-L radio charts, peaking at #5 for overall artist while the songs “Red Light” and “Red Wine” peaked at #5 and #9. The CD finished the year at #13 in Folk Alley’s “Top CD’s of 2010” alongside new releases by Tim O’Brien, Peter Rowan, Mary Chapin Carpenter, The Chieftains, and Bob Dylan. www.heymavis.com
The Outside Voices’ Big, Big EP is the 4-song follow up to the band’s 2017 debut, Hound Dogs. The songs were recorded last summer at Amish Electric Chair Studios in Athens, Ohio, working with producer and engineer Neil Tuuri for the second time. Each song is uniquely different from the next. The five-piece outfit from Kent made a concerted effort to branch out creatively from their previous release, introducing elements of pop, grunge, and psychadelia to their 70s inspired sound. www.theoutsidevoicesband.com
Jackleg is Robert’s first solo effort. All songs and compositions were written and performed by Robert on acoustic guitar, with only two edits. Tony Maimone recorded and produced the album. It is released by Exit Stencil Records on both the CD and LP formats. Players: Robert Kidney – guitar, vocals
MIKE HOVANCSEK AND MARGOT MILCETICH Samadhi is an album of music for meditation, yoga, and other kinds of deep listening. It includes abstract, multicultural music and traditional Sanskrit chants. On this CD Mike Hovancsek played sitar, cigar box guitar, koto, gongs, chimes, plucked piano, classical guitar, e-bow guitar, water glasses, bells, zils, Native American flute, drone vocals, waterphone, water drum, frame drum, and balafon. Margot Milcetich performed vocals and harmonium.
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ROBERT KIDNEY
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Track List: Big Paradise, Wolf, Back to Disaster, Red Stick, Empty Blues, Blue Collar, No Lock No Key, Rosalee, You Know Me, Heaven’s Day. Listen to the album on Spotify, Download from itunes or Buy on Square
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bookshelf THE LOCAL
Pulse of the Goddess by Fred Tribuzzo
From Computing to Computational Thinking by Paul S. Wang
Pulse of the Goddess begins on July Fourth after North America has suffered an EMP attack from a nuke exploded high above Kansas. The country's power grid and way of life has vanished. With her dad flying overhead in a Piper J-3 Cub, Emily Cricket Hastings races her '67 Plymouth Barracuda to a state park to keep the Independence Day tradition alive and those she loves. The book is available at the Learned Owl in Hudson and on Amazon. Join the author's newsletter by going to his website: fredtribuzzo.com
Concepts, techniques, and analytical abilities from the field of computing can make anyone more efficient in the information age. Furthermore, their understanding can give us powerful mental tools in general for solving problems, performing tasks, planning, working with others, anticipating problems, troubleshooting, and more. We refer to this mental tool set as Computational Thinking (CT). website: computize.org
Greetings from Kent, Ohio: A Postcard Portrait of the Tree City by Roger Di Paolo
The Snarky Gardener's Veggie Growing Guide by Don Abbott
Greetings from Kent, Ohio: A Postcard Portrait of the Tree City features more than 100 full-color postcard images of the Kent area, many dating to the early 20th Century, compiled by Roger Di Paolo, Historian in Residence of the Kent Historical Society. Hardbound and paperback editions are available at the Kent Historical Society, 237 East Main Street, Kent, or McKay Bricker Framing & Black Squirrel Gifts, 141 East Main Street, in Kent.
If you always wanted to grow your own vegetables, this is the book for you. If you are currently gardening, this book will make you better. The Snarky Gardener’s Veggie Growing Guide will lead you to success without talking down to you, and will allow you avoid the pitfalls of the uninitiated. We'll cover the easiest vegetables to grow, veggie plant families, using nature in the garden (permaculture), preparing against losses, edible weeds, and how the Snarky Gardener does it in real life. An easy and fun read that will get you started right away. website: thesnarkygardener.com
Silver Ribbon Dream—Songs and Stories of the Ohio & Erie Canal
Meet Me at Ray's by Patrick J. O'Connor In Meet Me at Ray’s, author Patrick O’Connor features the stories, memories, and experiences of the legions of customers and employees who have made Ray’s Place what it’s been since 1937. Rooted in the hearts, minds, and experiences of the people who know it best, it is an “organic” story. Through humorous and poignant personal anecdotes, readers will come to know what makes Ray’s Place special and how important that is to the surrounding community. O’Connor has collected stories dating from 1943 to the present, including one declaring Ray’s Place the first sports bar in the United States.
The Ohio-based Northcoast Americana group Hey Mavis is proud to announce the release of a CD with illustrated hard cover book titled Silver Ribbon Dream—Songs and Stories of the Ohio & Erie Canal in October, 2018. This original work was funded by John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and is a collaboration between Hey Mavis songwriter Laurie Michelle Caner and nationally-acclaimed artist Leandra Drumm. website: www.heymavis.com
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