pavlik's pants

As kelly-hysteria reaches a fever pitch (hey, it's good to be excited), an exclusive from the Vindicator:

what pavlik will have plastered on his butt

rock anniversaries and timebanks

Youngstown Moxie pontificates on the recent anniversary at Cedars:

"For those unfamiliar with Cedars Lounge it is located on Hazel Street in downtown and has served as the home of Youngstown's underground musical scene since 1981. Its walls are covered with local and regional art and the cafe serves Lebanese and American food.

Many Y-towners believe that Cedars is a vortex that everyone should experience, preferably on a summer night when the patio is open, or on a winter's evening, when the place is so crowded everyone is warmed by body heat; or sweating because they have been dancing non-stop for hours."

more info, and videos here.

Also, another post picks up on the Time Bank of the Mahoning Watershed, which is a new concept to me:

So you ask, " What does this wonderful celebration,and associated poem have to do with Scrooge's Auto Shop and Municipal Ordinances?" Well, as you can imagine a celebration such as Nut Night requires many hands to assist in the preparations. Being a supporter of the Time Bank of the Mahoning Watershed I withdrew some help from my account. I can't say enough wonderful things about the help I received.

blah, humbug

The Youngstown Renaissance blog looks at the holiday season in this great post.

"I don't want to douse anyone's holiday cheer with yellow snow, but I've got to say that I'm not feeling that old Christmas spirit this year. Have you noticed how many pathetic Christmas songs there are on the radio, blaring at you relentlessly as you make your way down the street or through shops?"

"As it happens, a number of earlier traditions observed December 25 as a feast day for their deities, including Phrygian Attis (who, incidentally, was a shepherd born of a virgin), Greek Dionysus (who, incidentally, is the child of a god and a mortal and traveled to and returned from the underworld, and his followers ate and drank his "flesh" and "blood"), Egyptian Osiris (who, incidentally, was known as "Lord of Lords", "King of Kings" and "Good Shepherd" and was sacrificed and resurrected) and Persian Mithra (you get the idea).

Maybe I'll put up a Dionysian bacchanal scene in my front yard to balance the numerous nativities around?

In fact, I think a bacchanalian holiday is something I could really get into."