Books Burned In Protest (But Not How You Think)

I thought this article was a great commentary on the sad state of reading in America. Book store owner Tom Wayne couldn't give his books away so he protested this lack of interest by firing up his giant barbecue grill.

His collection ranges from best sellers, such as Tom Clancy's "The Hunt for Red October" and Tom Wolfe's "Bonfire of the Vanities," to obscure titles, like a bound report from the Fourth Pan-American Conference held in Buenos Aires in 1910. But when he wanted to thin out the collection, he found he couldn't even give away books to libraries or thrift shops; they said they were full.

So on Sunday, Wayne began burning his books in protest of what he sees as society's diminishing support for the printed word.

As an avid reader I don't understand how people do not read for pleasure. In fact, I get testy when I can't find the time to read. It's relaxing, informing and more stimulating than either Dancing With The Stars or Deal Or No Deal. All sarcasm aside, reading broadens your vocabulary, exposes you to new ideas and describes events you would otherwise have no knowledge of. Unfortunately, Mr. Wayne's hypothesis does seem to have merit. I have friends who read and can have wonderful discussions with and then there are those who only know book titles from the film adaptations they see.

A couple years ago we had a garage sale and put out many of the books we had read over the years and wouldn't be re-reading. An older couple came through and the husband scanned the titles while the wife made small talk with us. She asked who the reader was in our family and my wife and I answered, "both of us". We asked if she read and she waved her hands negatively and said "no". "He's the reader," she said, pointing at her husband. "I never read. Never have". The look on her face and the tone of her words told us her reaction would have been the same if we had asked her if she did lap dances at the local VFW hall.

Anyway, it's sad to see such an important activity as reading fall by the wayside. If you haven't read in a while, make the effort. If you have little kids in the house, read to them. If you are concerned about cost, reach way, way back into those dusty old elementary school memories and remember the library. It's a wonderful place. They'll loan you books for free as long as you bring them back.

Hi, I'm a Marvel...and I'm a DC

Genius.

Ryan Correctly Votes Against War Funding

I'm not sure where folks got the idea that Congress was unpatriotic if they exercised their Constitutionally granted powers to control the government's purse strings but it sure is strange. Maybe it was when they became stupid enough to think Hannity and Limbaugh were worth listening to. Maybe it was when they decided that waving flags, patriotic segment titles and Ollie North were relevant to a newscast. Who knows? However, by voting against the war funding compromise worked out between the President and Congress, Representative Tim Ryan expressed the opinion of the majority of his constituency. In approving this funding bill without a solid plan for withdrawing troops for Iraq, Congress has abdicated its power to the Executive branch. This bill does nothing to get the troops out of harms way regardless of the fact that the President must report back to Congress on 18 checkpoints. How the Democrats got from timetables to withdraw to a checklist of progress is beyond me.

In this article, Rep. Ryan states it would be irresponsible to give the president a blank check to continue the war. I agree. Stay the course may not be in the White House vocabulary anymore but the policy remains in effect. To this White House, victory is a moving target, a phantom idea that is only visible in a fleeting glimpse. Choose your definition:

• To stop Saddam Hussein from threatening us with weapons of mass destruction
• To liberate the Iraqi people
• To fight Al-Qaeda there so we wouldn't have to fight them here
• To bring democracy to the Middle East

Whatever the reason is, it wasn't worth the thousands who have died and the tens of thousands who have been wounded. After more than four years of trying to convince us that entering this quagmire was a good idea, you would think the President would declare victory and get out of Iraq. But no, he just keeps digging that hole deeper and deeper. Why not, though? After all, this is going to be one more problem someone has bailed him out of. Just like his oil business in Texas, he will be the only one who walks away with a smile on his face. It will be up to the rest of us to mourn the dead, care for the wounded and pay off this ridiculous debt. He will walk away unscathed, secure in the knowledge that he was always right, even when he wasn't. Well, at least our Representative did the right thing. Too bad more Democrats can't find their courage.

Marc Dann Compared Favorably to Eliot Spitzer

In this article, the New York Times favorably compares Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann to former New York Attorney General (and now Governor) Eliot Spitzer. Dann's criticism of the Taft administration during the Coingate scandal brought him statewide attention and he has been complimented on his actions against UnitedHealth Group since his election. UnitedHealth Group may have improperly backdated billions of dollars in stock options for its former chief executive.

In addition to his work on how publicly traded companies govern their investor's money, Dann will need to focus on street level crime in Ohio. The Mahoning Valley finally has someone at the state level who understands how crime is impeding the success of Youngstown and the surrounding area. Dann recently announced that he will be opening an office in Youngstown that will consist of Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation as well as members of his predatory lending task force. Area politicians, including Mayor Jay Williams, have formulated and implemented plans to improve the Mahoning Valley and they need state assistance with law enforcement to see them succeed. After decades of half measures and pipe dreams local politicians have finally realized steel mills will not be returning and developed plans for improvement that are original.

Youngstown 2010 has been lauded nationally as a way to manage shrinking municipalities. The Chevy Centre has been completed and offers hope for the previously barren downtown. The Southside Library project should reviatlize the long neglected intersection of Market and Midlothian. Finally, voters recently pledged their support to improving the area by passing a new sales tax. These efforts all need to be given a chance to thrive by reducing crime and removing Youngstown from the list of most dangerous cities in America.

300 vs The Army of Darkness

Here at Tales From the Rust Belt we like zombies, oh yes we do. So we were happy to see this movie trailer for 300 vs The Army of Darkness.

Photographer Captures Youngstown and NEO

Amateur photographer Phil Wilson has done a remarkable job of capturing the flavor of Youngstown and Northeast Ohio in his photographs. His album, located here, shows Downtown Youngstown and some of its denizens, Mill Creek Park, and areas of Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Phil utilizes technilogical enhancements to add flavor to his work and show us how he views these areas. He captures some of the more interesting areas of the city, from abandoned steel mills, to the Youngstown Theatre to Oak Hill Cemetary. Rather than emphasizing their derelict condition, though, his photographs show the life each place once resonated with. His use of vibrant color mixed with interesting angles presents a unique viewpoint. I have included a couple photos here in the post but you should really click here and check out his album for yourself.

Berkeley Breathed Lives (And Writes)

Wow. remember the Bloom County comic strip? I used to devour them in the 1980's. This article in Newsweek has a nice interview with creator Berkeley Breathed about what he's been up to and a his new book titled "Mars Needs Moms!".

Ah, Milo, Opus, Bill the Cat and Steve Dallas. Those names are like old friends. I think I'll go dig out my big reprint books.

Why I Love The Future

He's dead Jim! Or maybe he's not. This article at Newsweek shows promise in changing the way we think about why the body dies and how we try to prevent it. What's the difference between healthy cells and those deprived of oxygen for an hour? Not much. It's getting oxygen back into the cells that causes damage according to the theory proposed in this article. If the study they cite is credible and the techniques can be duplicated, maybe less people will die in hospital emergency rooms.

The NRA Is Crazy

I respect the NRA's position that the Constitution guarantee's a person's right to own a gun but every once in a while they go so far overboard I wonder what they're smoking. This article at CNN shows them supporting the rights of terror suspects to buy weapons.

No, I'm not making this up.

This kind of lunacy is why most people think of them as a radical fringe group rather than a respectable group lobbying for a cause. It's my opinion that accepting the fact that some people (criminals, terror suspects, the mentally ill) should not have guns would go a long way toward helping the NRA's reputation.