Back to the Grindstone, Tylers Gem

Okay kids, time to get serious about this blogging business. However, not all these blogs are going to be serious mind you, did you read my last entry about cake? I missed dinner and was hungry, you work with what you've got.

I have survived the cleaning out my apartment, and putting much of it up for a garage sale this past weekend, as i get ready to move across town. Amongst the early morning set-up and the haggling, (no I wont lower the price on that tv and vcr to 5 bucks, it's not out of the box, but it doesn't run on transistors either, jeeesh,) I would call the weekend a success, but it cut me off from the outside world a bit and my last excuse not to keep up to date with this new blog is over.

As I recover from the past 4 days, I guess I am going to opt out a little today by bringing you a blog mostly stolen by fellow blogger and one who doesn't miss much, Tyler, over at Youngstown Renaissance. He found among his Sunday perusing of the "informationsphere," or whatever he peruses on a Sunday, a fantastic column by writer Maureen Dowd, who shared an Op-Ed piece in The New York Times about a conversation with Aaron Sorkin of the West Wing, and a meeting of President Bartlett and Democratic Hopeful, Barak Obama. (Run-on sentence much Scott? sorry kris.) Anywho, the article is here, and I recommend it highly, if you are either a West Wing fan, a Barak Obama fan, or just need, to realize that we need to get back to a Democratic White House. It reminds me of my favorite scene in West Wing, where President Bartlett, (Martin Sheen if you think I am bit delusional into thinking the tv show was real,) takes a conservative "values" radio host to task...................enjoy...........S

The Stage

So it's dueling LIVE bloggers here at The Oaklands third outing of The Stage. I snuck in the back and could literally chuck popcorn at the heads of fellow bloggers Youngstown Renaissance, The Crseum, and Yoments. Unfortunately, there is no popcorn to throw (Mmmmm Popcorn....but i regress.) Heck...I was hoping for cake. I thought it was an anniversary sorta (Mmmm cake .......damn regression.) Well they're taking pictures....they're blogs win. Good thing we're not all twittering or there could be a cosmic explosion right here at The Oakland. Think i'll watch a few acts and go get ice cream (Mmmmm Ice Cream.........Dammit)

Start a Blog, Take 4 days Off, What a Life!

So I would like to blame the winds of Ike on my not posting since starting this blog up this past weekend, but alas, power has been on the entire time. Quick observation on the winds.....while most clean-up has gone along pretty well I think, and communities have helped communities, let you me tell you a bit about my neck of the woods, Poland, (the township thank you, I have not learned to be pretentious enough to live in "the village.") On 224, in front of the now closed Brewsters Ice Cream (a sad story in and of itself, me likes me ice cream,) the winds blew down some trees and snapped a telephone pole in half, thus removing power to the stoplight at 224 and 616 intersection. It took until late Tuesday night to get the light working again. That's a highly travelled intersection folks, as our friends in PA like to sneak in through that venue. It is less than a hundred yards from another 3 way intersection at 224 and 170. People are just getting enough go in their jalopy from 170 to 616, that it's really not fun I guess to stop at a light that is out, forget laws or anything, that's just plain inconvenient! Yet what do my wondering eyes did appear as I travelled the intersection around 5pm on Monday? The Poland Village speed traps well underway instead of a police officer working traffic at that intersection. I actually saw them sitting in their favorite spot and just watching the traffic figure out how to get through that light, and hoping they could write more than just a speeding ticket. Observation over.

Great meeting last night for the Positive People Group last night. As they take residence downtown on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at The Rosetta Stone Cafe. A newly forming group, the Positive People Group has the goal of affecting change and improving the Mahoning Valley through a group of positive thinking people working together. The first project will be helping to clean up inside and out of the Oak Street Church down by the MVR Restaurant. The church was vandalized a while back and while they try to get back their security and their dignity, the Positive People Group is putting together a team to do some landscaping around the church and fixing their handicap ramp, and then going inside to work on some paint and carpeting. Anyone out there willing to donate time and/or materials, please let someone know by sending an email to Ron or Roy, founders of the PPG. Their emails are located on the website, www.positivepeoplegroup.com . Talk soon friends..................S

Welcome To My Blog

This blog is the musings and ramblings of a Youngstown transplant. From downtown events and news from "Federal Street," and expanding throughout the Mahoning Valley and beyond, you will read satirical, political, nonsensical, and sometimes inspirational thoughts and comments.

About the name: "The Federal"ish" Papers," is hopefully an easily identifiable double entendre of my rally'ing on of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, and a small allusion to "The Federalist Papers," essays that were published serially in The Independent Journal, and The New York Packet in 1787 and 1788. Primarily a series of 85 articles advocating the ratification of the United States Constitution, I enjoyed reading about them in history. Particularly relevant today, is Federalist No. 10, an essay by James Madison and the tenth of the Federalist Papers. It was published on November 22, 1787. No. 10 addresses the question of how to guard against "factions," groups of citizens with interests contrary to the rights of others or the interests of the whole community. In today's discourse the term "special interest" often carries the same connotation. Reading the Youngstown Blogosphere, I have always found it interesting some of the comments made to posts written by my fellow "Pro Yo" bloggers. It sure seems the commenters seem contrary to making the entire Mahoning Valley community as a whole be a better place, and put down the revitalization efforts of Youngstown. And politics sure has made "special interests" a household name. Also, the rights of others is a very much a "hot button" topic in the Mahoning Valley, be it rights of women, blacks, gays, or whomever, the subject will usually pop up in a post of mine from time to time.

For today, no rants or raves, just a thank you to the blogging community for being a force for introspection, retrospection, commentary, information, or just plain down home fun and hospitality. I hope my posts will add a bit to the discussion, maybe raise some new points, and try to stay from being boring as much as possible. I welcome your comments, emails, agreements and disagreements. Use your voice and stand up for your beliefs, whether they agree or not with others. As long as you research and stand behind them, you will be respected at this blog. I write this as I avoid the weather at the first annual Grey to Green Festival in Wick Park. A grand idea and a worthy cause. I salute your efforts and hope rain didn't stop any besides wimps like me. Soldier on Youngstown, and welcome to my Blogosphere.....................S