Lethal Injection Speech: Physician Participation in Capital Punishment
Since Ohio starting executing people in 1999, there have been 8 lethal injections. Those killed include a suicidally depressed man who begged to be put to death, a mentally retarded man, and a man who was probably innocent. For each execution, the procedure looks similar: The inmate lies down on a table that looks like it belongs in an operating room. Intravenous needles are inserted into both arms. Three drugs are infused: sodium pentothal, which is supposed to render the "patient" unconscious, a drug that paralyzes all skeletal muscles (so breathing ceases), and finally potassium chloride, a chemical that arrests the heart. Lethal injection was designed to simulate a medical procedure, and it requires medical knowledge. Who is performing these executions?
Ohio catholic school says no to Muslim student's scarf
(COLUMBUS, OH, 8/29/2003) - The Ohio office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) today called on national Catholic authorities to intervene in the case of a Muslim student at a Catholic high school in Ohio being denied the right to wear a religiously-mandated head scarf.
CAIR-Ohio also called on Regina High School to allow the student to return to class while this issue is being resolved. "The Student has attended this school for several years, and has a great deal invested into her education at this school, it would be very devastating for her to have to change school during her senior year of high school" said Dr. Asma Mobin-Uddin Vice President of CAIR-Ohio, who attended a catholic school herself.
CAIR-Ohio also called on Regina High School to allow the student to return to class while this issue is being resolved. "The Student has attended this school for several years, and has a great deal invested into her education at this school, it would be very devastating for her to have to change school during her senior year of high school" said Dr. Asma Mobin-Uddin Vice President of CAIR-Ohio, who attended a catholic school herself.
Beacon responds to Bush attack on Gays
Beacon Fellowship is shocked and appalled over the comments and intentions of President Bush regarding same-sex marriage.
During a press conference yesterday, Bush made it very clear that he opposes same-sex marriage and that he has government lawyers working to ensure that the only legal definition of marriage is between a man and a woman.
"Clearly, Bush and his religious taliban supporters are determined to make gays and lesbians into third-class citizens, despite the fact that gays and lesbians are also taxpayers, are employed by the government, and serve proudly in the military" says Perry Slone, Director of Beacon Fellowship.
"The same type of hate and rhetoric was used against African-Americans 30-40 years ago, just take out the word "homosexual" and replace it with "black" or "colored" and its the same thing" says Mr Slone.
During a press conference yesterday, Bush made it very clear that he opposes same-sex marriage and that he has government lawyers working to ensure that the only legal definition of marriage is between a man and a woman.
"Clearly, Bush and his religious taliban supporters are determined to make gays and lesbians into third-class citizens, despite the fact that gays and lesbians are also taxpayers, are employed by the government, and serve proudly in the military" says Perry Slone, Director of Beacon Fellowship.
"The same type of hate and rhetoric was used against African-Americans 30-40 years ago, just take out the word "homosexual" and replace it with "black" or "colored" and its the same thing" says Mr Slone.
Photos from Hookaville
Marcus Celio provides three images from Hookaville.
Mayor Coleman’s- Report Card- B+
Whether you like Mike or not you must admit that his first term in office has been relatively smooth. Smooth is the operative word for this article. Mike…is smooth. Managing the affairs of this city would prove to be no small task for the most savvy of politicians. The constant need to balance the interests of special interests groups (who typically have agendas that conflict with the public interest) against those issues of public interest is enough to keep a person up at nights.
As the first black mayor (more on that later) of this capitol city, Hizzoner has seemingly squelched the criticisms of those who challenged his readiness for the office. Anybody should know that most big cities’ mayors typically have either tumultuous first terms, or first terms that fade from memory. Coleman has been the exception in this case by providing a first term that actually (on the surface) would appear to be neither. Not much turmoil, but only a few notable situations that warrant a commitment to memory.
As the first black mayor (more on that later) of this capitol city, Hizzoner has seemingly squelched the criticisms of those who challenged his readiness for the office. Anybody should know that most big cities’ mayors typically have either tumultuous first terms, or first terms that fade from memory. Coleman has been the exception in this case by providing a first term that actually (on the surface) would appear to be neither. Not much turmoil, but only a few notable situations that warrant a commitment to memory.
Initiative Petition Drive to Restructure Columbus City Council:
PEER also announced that it will lead an Initiative Petition Drive to amend the Columbus City Charter. The Initiative will allow voters to elect an as yet undetermined number of district or ward representatives in addition to the current seven "at-large" council members. The goal of the Initiative Petition Drive is to ensure comprehensive representation for all of the neighborhoods within the City.
PEER supports a public policy agenda featuring truly representative government and efficient planning for Columbus and Central Ohio. PEER thus supports growth policies which allow for commercial and residential development but which also promote the reuse and redevelopment of the central city while preserving key environmental assets in the area.
PEER supports a public policy agenda featuring truly representative government and efficient planning for Columbus and Central Ohio. PEER thus supports growth policies which allow for commercial and residential development but which also promote the reuse and redevelopment of the central city while preserving key environmental assets in the area.
Interview with Ekoostik Hookah's Cliff Starbuck
FP: Just for our readers who don't know: What is Ekoostik Hookah?
Um, it's a band that's been around for about twelve years now. We started in Columbus at the South Heidelberg every Wednesday and then, um, we played all around.
FP: Do you guys own this land? (Frontier Ranch)
We're leasing it right now. It's a five year lease, with the option to buy it at the end.
FP: Why did you guys decide to do that?
Um, it's a band that's been around for about twelve years now. We started in Columbus at the South Heidelberg every Wednesday and then, um, we played all around.
FP: Do you guys own this land? (Frontier Ranch)
We're leasing it right now. It's a five year lease, with the option to buy it at the end.
FP: Why did you guys decide to do that?
Ohio State to present annual Spring musical for charity
The Ohio State University's entirely student-run musical theater group, Off the Lake, will present its annual spring musical: Kiss Me, Kate will be held in Hitchcock Hall on the OSU campus (2070 Neil Avenue) on May 29th, 30, and 31st at 8:00pm. Admission is only a canned good, which will later be donated to the Mid-Ohio food bank.
Based around Shakespeare's comedy Taming of the Shrew (the play within the play), Kiss Me, Kate is a lively mix of the old and the new, sure to keep many genres of audiences on the edge of their seats. Ex-lovers Fred Graham, an egotistical producer and the male lead, and Lilli Vanessi, a capricious stage diva, are reunited humorously to produce a musical version of Taming of the Shrew. Further hilarity ensues when two gangsters show up to collect an IOU and wind up on stage.
Featuring a 25-member cast and a 15-piece orchestra, Kiss Me, Kate offers much more than theatrics. The music and dancing of this straight- from-Broadway production are a force to be reckoned with.
Based around Shakespeare's comedy Taming of the Shrew (the play within the play), Kiss Me, Kate is a lively mix of the old and the new, sure to keep many genres of audiences on the edge of their seats. Ex-lovers Fred Graham, an egotistical producer and the male lead, and Lilli Vanessi, a capricious stage diva, are reunited humorously to produce a musical version of Taming of the Shrew. Further hilarity ensues when two gangsters show up to collect an IOU and wind up on stage.
Featuring a 25-member cast and a 15-piece orchestra, Kiss Me, Kate offers much more than theatrics. The music and dancing of this straight- from-Broadway production are a force to be reckoned with.
Time is Now to Cut Wasteful Charter School Program
As Ohio lurches toward more education cuts to resolve the state’s fiscal crisis, state legislators should be cutting wasteful spending. This means they should even consider cutting failed pet projects that have been coddled by lawmakers.
Limping toward its 7th year of existence, Ohio’s charter school program is one such project. The program has produced no academic return for our investment of state and local taxes, more than $200 million this year. Fiscal conservatives in the House of Representatives scrutinized every line item in the Ohio Department of Education’s budget with a fine toothcomb, yet they refused to even glance at the failed charter school program. With more than $600 million cut from K-12 and public higher education already, this program should be the first place lawmakers look to help balance the budget.
Charter school proponents sold the public a new approach to education. They promised taxpayers that if you ‘forget regulation and red tape, we’ll get results, never you mind how.’
The results are dismal.
Limping toward its 7th year of existence, Ohio’s charter school program is one such project. The program has produced no academic return for our investment of state and local taxes, more than $200 million this year. Fiscal conservatives in the House of Representatives scrutinized every line item in the Ohio Department of Education’s budget with a fine toothcomb, yet they refused to even glance at the failed charter school program. With more than $600 million cut from K-12 and public higher education already, this program should be the first place lawmakers look to help balance the budget.
Charter school proponents sold the public a new approach to education. They promised taxpayers that if you ‘forget regulation and red tape, we’ll get results, never you mind how.’
The results are dismal.
Ohio Ballots, Computers, and Private Contractors
The Toledo Blade reports that Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell is moving ahead with a plan to put computerized voting machines in all 88 Ohio counties by 2004. County election officials, we are told, will able to choose a ballot vendor from a list of pre-selected private corporations that program electronic voting machines. The state will write all the purchase contracts and pay for the machines.
This project is billed as vast improvement over current non-standardized voting systems. Officials also claim it is designed to protect Ohio from the ballot mess in Florida that threw the 2000 presidential election into the hands of the Supreme Court.
However, it's worth asking whether or not the vote recording and counting process, so crucial to fair elections, should be placed in the hands of private contractors who are not accountable to citizens? "You'd think in an open democracy," writes attorney Thom Hartmann in a recent article on CommonDreams.org, "that the government - answerable to all its citizens rather than a handful of corporate officers and stockholders - would program, repair, and control the voting machines."
This project is billed as vast improvement over current non-standardized voting systems. Officials also claim it is designed to protect Ohio from the ballot mess in Florida that threw the 2000 presidential election into the hands of the Supreme Court.
However, it's worth asking whether or not the vote recording and counting process, so crucial to fair elections, should be placed in the hands of private contractors who are not accountable to citizens? "You'd think in an open democracy," writes attorney Thom Hartmann in a recent article on CommonDreams.org, "that the government - answerable to all its citizens rather than a handful of corporate officers and stockholders - would program, repair, and control the voting machines."