It is with great sorrow that I write this morning.
The News Sentinel has confirmed reports that Most Reverend Father Earl Paul Brian Carsten, Metropolitan Archbishop of the Orthodox-Catholic Church in America has crossed into eternal pastures this past Friday at the age of 65 due to a childhood defect of his heart that had recently surfaced and caused the stroke which caused him to fall into a coma and pass from his mortal flesh with friends and colleagues surrounding him in prayer and praise to GOD our almighty Father, ABBA!. Archbishop Carsten is survived by his mother, Isabelle, of Auburn.
Funeral Services and Divine Liturgy of Commendation (aka Mass of Christian Burial) will be celebrated by Archbishop Alfred L. Lankenau on Friday the 3rd of April at 4P with calling from 1-4P. The Divine Liturgy and Commendation will be hosted with graciousness at Fairview Missionary Church 525 East 200 North in (MAP) Angola, Indiana.
DIRECTIONS: You may arrive at Fairview Missionary Church via Interstate 69 by taking the Crooked Lake interchange number 150 @ County Road 200 West turning left if from Fort Wayne or right if from Michigan and proceed (north) approximately a half mile, turning right (or East) onto West County Road 200 North and then proceed 2.5 miles down the road and the Church will be on your right hand side. If you intersect with State Road 827 North you are sitting right next to it. Please look behind you before you back into somebody when trying to turn around.
There is more sorrow in this untimely loss of Fr. Skip's boisterous at times but contemplative presence, which was compounded by the horrendously inaccurate article written by Aaron Organ and published in the News Sentinel, that both defamed the character of this humble Servant Shepherd and the Orthodox-Catholic Church in America [website], which he guided for the last nine years with great respect and responsible stewardship.
I can only reflect the albeit massive loss and tears shed that the members of the three congregation local Community of the Cross and my fellow clergy and friends in the OCCA are feeling at this moment in their 100 year plus history. This is also a time of joy and peace knowing that it will be alright and that he can do a lot more from where he is now. This following link MY ARCHBISHOP is a commentary by Father Roger Vaughn whom knew him better than I did and much longer. Please enjoin this sharing of a man, a mission, and the mysteries celebrated by workers in the LORD's vineyard that joined all together, even me, for the last many years under Fr. Skip's leadership (2nd from left in purple @ St. Mary Magdalene Chapel, Crosswood Centre, Auburn)
Now if y'all don't mind the Western Rite within me from bubbling up, allow me to say this simple prayer for all of you: "May all of us and many others whom loved Father Skip and those whom he loved, find the Holy Ghost as their Comforter; and the Holy Mother of God, their Consolation! As we all struggle on our path to live that Indwelling presence, that he so diligently taught us to look for, may we find that peace that is GOD with us! AMEN!" Father Skip, thank you for the fellowship and challenging me to find new ways to live my commissioning as a Servant Shepherd also!
Bona Pascha! Feast Well At The Banquet Table!
Fr. "Fozy Bear" Jude Thaddeuss of Prompt Succor
MRev. Kenneth R. M. White, Jnr., Bishop, OIRCC
30 March 2009
Rest In Peace Fr. Skip! May you find rest in the green pasture beside the still water before returning to work in the vineyard of the LORD. Thank you!
Chicken Scratched by F6's Editor at 00:00 0 comments
Labels: Crosswood Centre, Defamation, Editors Personal Life, F6 Editor's Choice, Fr Skip Carsten, News-Sentinel, OCCA, Rest In Peace
22 March 2009
The Truth About Rainbows: From Pots Of Gold To Pontiffs & How 2 Young Men Went From Kings 2 Lovers & All Those Thoughts Regarding SAFE SEX In Between?
In honour of Saint Patrick's Day, I have this to say, "suck on this lollipop!" towards the Bishop of Rome and Patriarch of all the West, in regards to his recent statements (CNN/NPN) on HIV/AIDS prevention while preparing to pontificate across Africa: "You can't resolve it with the distribution of condoms,....On the contrary, it increases the problem." This can no longer be an issue of birth control or the abstinence only education, let alone an issue from a civil matter of pre/extra-marital sex. This is an issue of medical safety and prevention of a deadly disease that ravages innocents and children. This archaic principled stand no longer applies and therefore either needs to be revised in its implications toward the normal believer and better explained to the non believer.
If condoms cant prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, then when someone has the audacity to cover the Chair of Saint Peter and the Throne at St. John Lateran Basilica in latex, or melted plastic, the Pope would still be able to speak "from the Chair", or Ex Cathedra, on faith and morals, and have it be infallible, even though his ass would be prevented from making the necessary contact pointe with the relics inside in order for his mouth to proclaim such ejaculations and declarations. If it is not the case then:
a. the teaching that condoms prevent the marriage covenant from being ritually entered into and perpetually consummated need to be revised
b. the Church needs to be responsible to the believers and allow them to make a fully formed choice of conscious decision
c. someone should ball gag the Pope, unless he is speaking within his role as the head of the College of all the Bishops, and not just the Roman ones either.
I am not going to say the overall teaching/advocacy is wrong, it is just incomplete, as it presumes no one has premarital sex, and everyone lives by the same standard of morals and ethics, and fails to account for the reality of human nature when offering instruction based on those teachings. It is time for the ideal to get serious about reality and provide a reputable answer not just a set of lofty dreams. The Roman Catholic Church's teaching against any sex outside of the marriage covenant as a violation or in error is the principle motivation behind all other doctrine and dogma. This is also why the Roman Catholic Church teaches against masturbation, anal sex, as deficient, and the obvious, homosexuality, as objectively disordered to the "ideal" of the marriage covenant. Even regardless of the fact that there is a long history even within Scripture of homosexuality not being demonized by God, just the politicians and religious leaders who later translated Scripture twenty times over to their own desires.
EDITORIAL ADVISORY: Before you read any further, please understand that, anal sex, while enjoyable when done correctly (Gay Tel Aviv), is still technically at its psychological base an act primarily of domination; and medically speaking, when done without extra care and condoms, medically dangerous to the human body. Unlike most in the GLBT Community would declare today, anal sex, as part of male same gender intimacy, was not always the reason for the achieved climax in every culture. I have previously spoken about frottage on F6, and provided those anthropological resources in the original publication medium, regarding the larger Male With Male Intimacy group members, whom don't necessarily always define as part of the GLBTIQAS Community, but still love men romantically and sexually. QUICK LINKS: [G0Y] [M2MA]
THE STORIES OF DAVID AND JONATHAN
We know without a doubt, by King Saul's own words, that King David and Prince Jonathan were bound lovers in some capacity and formula. The sexual acts recorded between them is questionable, all we know from Scripture is that they were naked, embraced, crying, and kissed at three separate times, which is descriptive of mutual masturbation or frottage in one account of record alone.
Censored Sex Scene: Sordid Lives: Jason Dottley & Ted Detwiler
Scripture never says they had anal intercourse, if they did or did not, the intimacy that is recorded in Scripture, would have looked something closer to this video segment above with Jason Dottley and Ted Detwiler in Sordid Lives The Series (F6 Previous Posts), except that it was out in the open in a field, or the equivalent of a public park today. But while the actual depth or detail of expression can be held in question, the intimacies and formation of the covenant between them can not and the fulfillment of said covenant after Jonathan's death in battle is undeniable in Scripture.
RITUAL PURITY AND THE IMPLICATIONS REGARDING ANAL SEX
The issue to keep in mind is the actual formation of the covenant and what is required: a mutual and equal tearing of flesh, shedding of blood, and exchanging of privileges and rights. This technically could happen during direct phallic to phallic touching or mutual masturbation. The penis is made up of blood and tissue which expands and pushes outward, thereby tearing in minuscule fashion the flesh, and shedding the blood through the skin, followed by the exchanging and intermingling of fluids, during the ritual magic of sexual intercourse. There are three things considered missing from a religious perspective during the formation of the ritual act when anal sex is used solely:
1. It is not typically mutual and equal unless a conscious effort has been made to maintain an equal respect between partners during the acts and there is a longer term association that bonds the friendship to brotherly love. This doesn't require a flip fuck every time but a reach around & switch up once in awhile would not hurt.
2. The ritual act itself cannot be memorialized during anal sex within effect because everything is removed afterward. In essence there is no lasting presence of action and it is not between seed or provides for an intermingling of life bearing fluids. That does exist when happening from the pointe of mutual masturbation specifically during close touch phalli to phalli frottage or dry humping, unless you're really flexible or have studied ballet and gymnastics.
3. For lack of a better phrase, the anus is not a source of life but the end of life, and therefore anal sex represents a "filthy covenant bond" not the beginning of a new bond or the continual celebration of that bond. It is similar to the idea within the Jewish Dietary Laws of not just of the prohibition in consuming bottom feeders or scavengers but in relationship to certain types of meat in clean animals eg: Kosher versus Non Kosher Beef, which is not allowed -Sirloin, Rump Roast, and Flank Steaks- to be consumed because they come after the digestive system and are therefore littered with toxins and diseases. (Source: Hebrew National)
4. The covenant must form between each party and their seed and their children. These are two separate clarifications they are and are not pseudonymous with each other in the text as a whole.
Even if I don't agree with their platform completely, the men over @ G0Y, detail this part in more simple statements so I will use their words, albeit modified slightly from the original with no threat intended:
So what if two men of legal age fell in love & want to merge their lives?
Due to the Hebrew man's right to contract at his coming of age - there was nothing to stop 2 Hebrew men from making covenant with each other & within those covenants expressing love & mutual care for each others family. They have the fundamental right to self determination & the mingling of their affairs with whom they choose. Unless a 3rd party has a legal interest (as would be the case of the father of a BRIDE) nobody has authority to encumber a contract made in good faith between 2 men.
It is all in King David's love-covenant with Prince Jonathan!
Two self-determining beings made in God's image wouldn't ask for permission for what is a fundamental right of contract! This is precisely what David & Jonathan illustrated with their love & subsequent covenants which is how, (from a legal standpoint,) the kingdom of Saul became David's; why David was able to probate it to Jonathan's son Meribbaal/Mephibosheth; and was the legal basis for David's adoption of Meribbaal/Mephibosheth & his family into David's
ALL THIS TALK @ KOSHER KINGDOMS LEADS TO OUR NEXT BITT OF BLARNEY!
The reason I bring this all up is because of the molten lava flow that has erupted like spurts of man jiz on the Gay blogosphere over the new show KINGS @ NBC on Sunday nights which is an alternative universe retelling of the Story of David from the Christian BIBLE. Surprisingly the Conservative Blogs are not upset about the inclusion of the interpretation that Jonathan was gay, or the Gays In The Military theme either, or they haven't figured out yet that it is a retelling of the story of King David.
Within the premiere 2 hour episode we specifically see the son confront his Father and King Silas affirming the sons sexuality as God given but in order for him to pass the throne to his son "Jack", pictured in the background below, played by Sebastian Stan (Covenant 2006), his son must "control it, press it to the ground, numb it with ice, but you cannot be what God made you, not if you mean to take my place" (54:30-56:30 mark). Here is the clip from NBC.
But no worries, because hell hath no furry like a Queen with a heel up her ass and a screwdriver in her hand. Gay bloggers went on the offensive though, because as Brent Hartinger @ After Elton put it, as a clear offense to the original story and the GLBT Community:
"Despite Kings’ claims that it is a “retelling” of David’s story, a gay love story is clearly not the direction the show is going. In other words, Michael Green, the creator of Kings, has chosen to keep the Bible’s likely-gay aspect of the character of Jonathan, but then turned him into a scheming villain, while at the same time, completely eliminating any “gay” element to the story’s primary hero, David."His review of the Jonathan character Jack can be synopsis with this text:
"....But in Kings, Jack is mostly a villain and a pretty stereotypically gay one at that: pretty and perfectly groomed, self-centered and vain, bitter and entitled, scheming, yet ultimately cowardly....He’s a rich, complicated character, but he’s still a bad guy,...competing for the affections of (his Father) the current King....there are several hints that Jack might be attracted to David, he seems to be motivated not by love, but by jealousy because David loves his sister, the princess, and not him."Michael Green the show's Creator had this to say in response to Mr. Hartinger's essay during an interview with Michael Jensen, After Elton's Editor:
“I think what you might be concerned about, or what your readership might be concerned about is that we’re playing into the cliché that the straight guy is great and the gay guy is evil, I don’t think we fall into that cliché at all. I think if you give us your time and attention, you’ll be very surprised at what both of those characters are capable of in the positive and in the negative sense. No one in our show is clearly good. No one in our show is clearly evil. They have far, far different journeys to go on."This is the pointe where the Queens come out to play and the rest of us sit back and go read the whole original story over again, starting at the end of the 17th chapter of 1st Samuel all the way through to the end of the 9th chapter of 2nd Samuel. Here is an excerpt of all the respective passages on F6's Feeds & Jump Page.
My goals are to take my characters and put them in the most interesting situation and then see how they behave, so I can’t give Jack any special protection because he’s gay or straight, I think that would be the more backwards way of looking at it....I am much more interested in Jack as a character who, if he had been brought up in a kinder family, might have been a kinder person. He might have been a happier person. But he was born into a family where the presumption is that power is an inherent good that you must want more of, and that colors his personality far more than his preferences.
LEARN SOME HISTORY @ THESE GAY LOVERS AND BLOOD BROTHERS
While still not denying the fact that David and Jonathan were bound lovers, the fact of the matter is that Jonathan fell in love with David, who is played by Chris Egan in the show, first. David also later married into the family with not one, but two of his sisters, so they were bound brothers by covenants of love to each other and in-laws by marriage. We know directly from sacred text, from King Saul's own mouth, that they were each others companions (1st Samuel 20:30-31). We also know from history that it is common in Mediterranean cultures for men who marry into a family to be considered brothers and not brothers in law of existing siblings. It is also normal practice in Mediterranean cultures for all the brothers to have a sexually intimate bond with each other, without necessarily being an engagement of anal intercourse.
If anything, what the show KINGS will do, is tell the story in, albeit more agonizing for certain Queer and Conservative commentators, an accurate time line of events and the scope of modern reality for many GLBT Youth and Young Adults, who struggle with coming out, only to find that everyone you were hiding it from already knew. Within the first episode you witness a Father agonize over his son and at the same pointe sacrifice in battle his other son who is gay and trying to hide such from himself, the world, and especially because of fear of and shame from his own Father.
FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO!
The BIBLE text as we know it lasted through ten major rewritings throughout the six thousand year history of the recorded history of humanity. Seven things to remember about Scripture are:
1. it is neither scientific nor historically accurate;Even with all of that, this unambiguous text regarding the bond of covenant love between a Crown Prince and his future King remains, along with the clarification by all the Major Prophets, and LORD Joshua-Emmanuel of Nazareth himself, that homosexuality didn't destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.
2. it was written by the victors of wars, by the leaders of people;
3. it is not linear in its time line or production;
4. it is a theological document which assumes GODs existence not trying to prove such;
5. it was written in the time of Kings Saul, David and Solomon etc. 1250-950 BCE;
6. it begins with segments in Exodus, at the Praise and Thanksgiving for Deliverance;
7. it underwent a major rewrite again while the Hebrews were in captivity in Babylon;
THE PROMISE OF THE RAINBOW
That is where the rainbow as a sign of the promise comes to intersect the lives of Gays and Lesbians and those of varied Faiths. May we one day both embrace not just our respective ends of the rainbow but recognize each other as equals worthy of love and being loved by others within its rays.
The story of David and Jonathan is not just an issue just of gay lovers or blood brothers, by a long shot, but of two young men who formed a bond so intense and passionate with each other, that the average mind cant contain it and the elite theologian reminisces to try to explain it away. The fact that we're still debating the full ramifications of their undeniable bonds of love, three thousand years later, that is a love that is eternal.
Chicken Scratched by F6's Editor at 11:59 0 comments
Labels: analysis, Benedict XVI, David and Jonathan, gay love between straight bois, Gay Patron Saints, Gays on Television, KINGS, Kosher, mutual masturbation, religion, Safe Sex IS Hot Sex
14 March 2009
Going Green In '09: From Tent Cities In California Or A Women & Children Shelter Along Our 3 Rivers NIMBY Is The Claim Thrown Out Now Here's My Game!
Yes NIMBY seems to becoming the acronym of the year; for those who don't know, it stands for Not In My Back Yard.
Most recently to gain national media attention is Sacramento, California whose shelter system even after being (video) drastically expanded in 2007, because of a previous Tent City built up near the Union Pacific Rail Road, is still overwhelmed and overcrowded and is forcing a whole new segment of the former middle class into the Tent Cities that are burrowing up much to the dismay of local businesses and residents who don't want the homeless in view of their backyard. The latest count places the current population of the Tent City at 1500 with 20-50 additional people joining the make shift community weekly.
Last month in jest the Editor of Fort Wayne News (aka Angry White Boy), Dan Turkette, suggested that the City should invest in the $500 per unit EDAR, "Everyone Deserves A Roof" [website], a program started by Peter Samuelson a Movie Producer out of Los Angeles, for the City of Fort Wayne's claim of only 100 homeless in Downtown and start putting them in at Harrison Square as a campground. Here is a basic introduction to the EDAR from the LA Times and an additional coverage from CBS News.
The reason why I bring this up is because of a more recent issue of riverfront development and NIMBY syndrome knocking on City Council's door. I am going to defer to Stephen Parker @ Around Fort Wayne for his coverage and commentaries on this issue regarding Fairmount Place for a detailed overview and then insert my own as well.
This most recent case of NIMBY and riverfront development versus the property rights businesses or land owners is in regard to the Rescue Mission's recent request vacate the a portion of an unused street to build a new 4.5 million dollar 94 bed Charis House women and children shelter on the riverfront just across the street from the Public Safety Memorial and the beginning of the Wells Street Corridor Business Association (WCBA) district line. This proposal was deferred for sixty days when said Business District President Judi Wire and surrounding Neighborhood Associations went up in arms over said development of land and used and friends of friends clout within local government to put the FUBAR on the prospective project and site.
Third district City Council member, Tom Didier's, district is across the street from the controversial land. He says he isn't against helping the homeless but doesn't like the proposed Well's Street location.
"This particular project is something that probably could go somewhere else. You know it's not like it has to go here! They own the property so for them they actually could make out in the long run if some developer would want to come along and purchase that property.”
Didier called Mayor Henry today and suggested the city purchase the property and help Charis House officials find other land.
Source: Homeless Shelter Ready To Expand, Neighbors Say "Not So Fast" By Laura Donaldson, [STORY] [VIDEO] 25 February Updated 04 March 2009, The Networks of Indiana News Center
As a Libertarian, my immediate reaction (as in a predisposed response filter, that is not acted on, but is there to throw up red flags on any particular issues that arise) is that this is a direct issue of private property rights violation with the additional implied threat, directly by a member of City Council, of eminent domain regardless of cause.
CLARIFICATION: This is an implied threat, without question by Mr. Didier and it is an indirect threat as said property is outside of his jurisdiction representing the Third District on Council.The land was... (redacted) ....purchased for a specific purpose by monies donated to said 'religious organization', and it should be retained for that intent. It is not like anyone ever noticed that property before someone decided to build a Women and Children Shelter on it anyway. Secondly it is a pain to get to so if someone wants to cut off access to an unused piece of land, I would usually say go ahead..
The purchase of this property in question by the City would have to be done by Eminent Domain in order for the Rescue Mission to begin recuperating any part of full expenditures. Otherwise under a normal purchase agreement the City could only begin to pay, I believe it is three times over the assessed value of the property and buildings, to compensate for the moving expenses and reestablishment of an existing business. But as this land is disoriented in zoning, with no one having an invested capital project currently being built on the land, the City is restricted by what amount it may purchase the land for. As it stands now, if the City authorizes the repurchase at full price and/or swapped the land with equal purchase value, above 350 thousand dollars, any responsible citizen would be up in arms by such a decision.
To bailout a huge mistake by any organization that does not pay taxes should be highly reviewed and said organization should be held to a higher standard of accountability in regard toward dispensation of donated resources by both its board and patrons. Not forgetting to mention the Secretary of State, who should also probably review the original sale in 2002.
I'm Still reading up on State Code please feel free (LINK: IACT, pdf) to join in the fun.
I was originally told that it was donated, my apologies. The understanding that I possessed at the time of starting this post almost 1 1/2 weeks ago, was the land was donated and the 4.5 million was for construction. The property was only valued at the now infamous 525 thousand dollars purchase of 3 1/2 acres that was only assessed for just over 72 thousand dollars for property taxes and and purchased from the City for 88 hundred dollars seven years ago.However I also have to look at the surrounding community and agree with them on one count that the planned construction is obtuse in both design and planning. With sincere apologies to Stephen Parker, for a view of the illustrated design please right click on this link and open into a new tab. Unfortunately the building is currently designed like a giant four layered (Original previous omitted detail: Franciscan Tau, styled LINK) altar cross! I stand behind this statement and its referenced commentary below. 15 other people so far have agreed with me. If they simply flipped the project around by putting the back of the building (ie: the top of the cross) to the street side and the parking in back, it would begin to fit more in line with the surrounding neighborhood facades and environment. If the facility was built in a camp lodge style with up to three floors it would be more appropriate for the area as a whole too.
The most this property should have been purchased for is 400 thousand and even that is accommodating the location and convenience of other properties in the area and in the said organization's network. The Rescue Mission should have only paid two hundred grand for it and I pray they didn't give him tax deductible receipt for the difference of his asking price.
Paraphrasing Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, in regard to servicing the poor, I have a Fozyism: "anyone whom has nothing of beauty deserves something of beauty from everyone". This (allowing the shelter to be built in some form on this site) would be a beautiful statement of setting aside our first fruits to the poor and the sojourner, the widow and the orphan (Exodus/Leviticus).
Dear Anonymous Reader: Thank you for asking! Here are the answers to your queries:
Then we are now left with another dilemma and that is the scope of the overall project as a whole and the intended versus the actual efficiency of said program in lieu of the property being taken off the property tax rolls. The current building plans at 30K sq ft. is claimed to be eight and a half times larger then the biggest business in that corridor, a funeral home. The CM Sloan & Sons Funeral Home is the equivalent of 6 maybe up to 8 one bedroom apartments which litter the known area and the proposed facility will only host 28 long term women with children, 28 single women, but a reserve of 38 with an additional capacity of 38 for emergencies. Using the idea marker of, eight times greater than, this project in size and scope only qualifies for four times greater in housing capacity however it does serve more than just a permanent housing scenario and therefore the pointe is moot as the residency is only partially long term the rest almost two thirds would be transitional therefore it would actually increase the total amount of people served to the same marker.
Who asked me a math question? ...mumblings...
From the peanut gallery:
My Dad is doing math?
Only GOD can HELP Y'ALL now!!
He is numerically dyslexic and failed basic algebra too.This is not going to be a easy thing to do. There will be some really crazy logical deductions awaiting you at the end!
You must be very trusting in this forum to ask me to do math questions. Brace Yourselves!
Assuming the facility is 8 times larger than the funeral home and we know there are 94 beds total and the average women in need of service each have 2 children at minimum. The actual final math didn't make sense to me either initially because if this building is built to code then even at the greatest stretch of the rules allowed there cant be more than three people sleeping per room and the parent and children should have separate bedding according to Child Safety standards. Remember certain safety restrictions and requirements demand separate sleeping arrangements after age 6 for children of differing genders. Their basic service goal is 28 women with presumed 2 children a piece plus 28 single women (28x4=112 not 94) and that is not even counting the 38 bed reserve and the additional 38 bed capacity for emergencies.
So there will not be enough beds?
Actually there are follow along if you will:
Now after allowing for a slight question of facts, that each bed is possibly a bunk bed and just counted as one, then you could account for the short numbers. If the numbers are factored by 1 bed equals in reality 2 adults, then you are getting somewhere quick. Because now 28 single women, become just (14 beds) for a supply count; and the (84 people) that make up the other 28 women with two children a piece account one for one so you are up to (28+14=42 beds) then (94-42=52 beds) remaining in capacity divided between the two categories equally which is 19 women with 2 children plus an additional 19 for single women (57+38=95 and 95+84+28 for a total of 207 people) bringing the total bed number to the pointe where capacity numbers and supply counts start to match up to the goals established by the Rescue Mission if you account for emergencies, overused stock, removal during lice/crabs infestations, and on-site staff to sleep in shifts. (Source: Table Maker)
So you see Dear Anonymous Reader there is no controversy, just another 250 more homeless people being able to live along the river bank. Only they will have a roof, a warm bed, plenty of food, and a future this time!
In the Journal Gazettes coverage of the story on the third of March they released an editorial statement but then also (Correction: were delayed in) publishing Letters To The Editor that whose authors were fair in their opposition to the request to both the vacation of Fairmount Place and the current building project as a whole.
The Editors of the Journal Gazette made two pointes that I will directly challenge:
1. The City does not have a vested interest. (3rd ip)
It gave that up when it sold back the land to whomever sold/donated it to the Rescue Mission. If the City bought out the property for flood control in 1982, it should have not been sold to anyone else in the first place for at a minimum of 25 years, let alone to a private owner or developer. This means the property shouldn't have been sold to anyone until 2007 at the earliest. Even though, as time and paradoxes have a way of twisting your nuts while making the same pointe, this means that we might still be in the situation; however it would have possibly slowed it down, because everyone involved in the purchase would have had knowledge of the different covenants and existing strategic area development plans.
I blame this one on the City for selling back the land that taxpayers purchased and then trying to buy it back yet again or (Correction: possibly) force it under eminent domain. The ultimate irony is that a (Changed: 'Religious Organization') in the middle of the City of Churches wants to build a shelter for Women and Children on their own riverfront property and the money changers wont let them @ the Inn! So much for the remembrance and living the message of Bethlehem. Let us finally be truthful for once in politics and admit to each other why we do or don't like something, even if it could damage your business or personal reputations.
2. Yes it is a giant cross; just say so! Admit that it scares you. (6th ip)
"Neighboring businesses represented by the Wells Corridor Business Association are concerned the design and location of the homeless shelter will obstruct future development..., specifically riverfront development. Neighbors are disappointed in the design of the shelter because it ... does not fit the character of the neighborhood."
I honestly do wonder if they are comparing those statements of "design" and "character" towards the existing businesses in the district. Was it the Pagans and Satanist @ The Ninth Gate, (who by the way I count among my friends), or the Drug Addicts @ the Methadone Clinic that is next door to the Pawn Shoppe?
The fact of the matter is that, subliminally, they don't want a giant cross "reminding people of their sinful nature" as they come over the bridge to patronize such establishments of small retail, or as they enter the heart of Downtown visiting our new Ballpark.
Before I forget, I want to also refer my readers towards these two posts on the 27th of February and the 4th of March by Charlotte Weybright @ Berry Street Beacon UPDATE:, and again on the 15th of March, whom has also addressed these ongoing issues of Fairmount Place, with a similar tactical analysis that I am taking, in regards toward specific issues. It is not very often that Charlotte and I agree on most things, even when coming from different vantage pointes, so I wanted to pointe out this distinct privilege that I feel welling up inside me from this occurrence. I have one last pointe to contest from the Journal Gazette editorial but at the same pointe I am going to use it to offer my craziest but well founded solution yet to date.
The current location of The Bean Cafe (F6 previous post (under Friday), until a year ago for a decade used to be, Hide~n~Seeks (F6 previous posts), a gay leather and jeans bar, which I also frequented on a biweekly basis for karaoke and which the Board of Heartland Communities meetings are currently held every Sunday night @6-9P, is just directly across from Fairmount Place technically it is all on the same street, but it sits between two Council Districts and changes physical direction and possibly a zip code, so therefore the name changes when crossing Wells Street/Fairfield Avenue and Ewing Street merger before the split for the bridge.
The remaining claims that everyone is making in opposition to the project, which are really straw man arguments, is that the south side of this property and beyond in question is susceptible to flooding; and again that the design is neither aesthetically conducive, to which I agree; and that it will hinder future riverfront development, in that location. To which, again I repeat, "What riverfront development?" But alas as a good friend always reminds me, to offer the good with the bad when tearing someone a new asshole, so I will attempt to now offer my solution to the design dilemma.
For that solution we will have to go back in history and our precolonial roots. In France, yes the French had the first fort here, and it was a French missionary whom secured the land for the later built Roman Catholic Cathedral of Immaculate Conception. Amongst other notables is, Jean Baptiste Bissot he actual is the original to interact with, and possessed a general respect for, the native people of the Miami nation whose national headquarters were here @ Kekionga. He built the first fortified trading post in 1704. Finally let us not forget the Centlivre Brewery which was also created by a Frenchman. So why do I bring all this up? Simply for historical presentation of the French connection to Fort Wayne for those whom don't know our local history that well and to establish the precedent for my political irony and suggestions to solve this problem in both design of the current project and the gripes involving future riverfront development in that area to follow.
Currently in the French Alpes on the Rivera there is Ville Franche, that translates to "the town with no taxes" as it secured that right many moons ago by providing shelter to Charles II, Duke of Anjos and later the Count of Provence, from the insurgent Turks in 1295CE. The privilege of being a free port was retained through the 18th Century even after being divided and shuffled many times over between modern day Italian and French predecessor governments or monarchs. There is a portion of the town that allows for this shelter from heathens, warring factions, an occasional pirate, etc., and that is the Rue Obscure. The City was actually built over this Obscure Road to allow people safe passage in their daily lives, the City with strategic access pointes to each house and business.
Here is my recommendations and project plan in conjunction with my work with Heartland Communities:
The City still needs to allow the Women and Children Shelter to build at the Fairmount Place location, but by working with them instead of threatening eminent domain, by starting at the second story and allow the first story on north side of Fairmount to be parking completely. Then after building the new Charis House, beginning over two thirds of the road going north with the second story only and continuing with a third floor, in a mission lodge style only, over the north side of Fairmount Place, we can then turn the south side into riverfront development and also a strategic water retention park with flood gates available to be attached at a moments notice for "the 500 year flood" everyone @ Journal Gazette and City Council is so worried about.
EDITOR: This picture does not illustrate my plan, just a point that the idea of building over a road and under a bridge in this case, is not a foreign concept to engineers just one that isn't used in America often.
The one third remaining tunnel top at the beginning of the Women and Children shelter over Fairmount Place would become a stage for productions and performances for concerts and/or theatre, The donations/ticket proceeds from these events could be split evenly between the Cooperative Worker Owners of the shopping and apartment complex and Charis House for further development and/or maintaince of their properties. This riverfront development that I suggest would be European in nature, similar to the original intent of Jefferson Pointe, but smaller in scale, providing more impact to the both the surrounding community and Downtown.
This complex would be worker owned and operated as green as possible with each employee having the option to live on premises at a reduced rate. The businesses located within the retail establishments would not have to be part of worker owner cooperative but the renters of apartments would and everyone as a whole would be required to follow the procedures and commit to a zero impact policy by their environmental footprint, and that includes the three communal bathing facilities, individual composting toilets, one of which is pictured to the right. Which means that between those two items and geothermal heating already planned, the entire Complex would not be hooked into the City Sewer, that currently has 50 CSOs per year minimum.
EDITOR: For more information on the Sun-Mar line of self contained toilets or to read commentary from the Owners of Gypsy Rose on thier experience and review after a year of using the non electric version of the composting toilet, click on the previous links.
Pointe Of Information: Pools Patios & Spas @ 3204 Illinois Road/State Road 14, phone: 260-432-3570, is a carrier of the Sun-Mar product line and they have a display.
This proposal in regard to the south side of Fairmount Place and beyond would also add entertainment, dinning, and shopping venues on the second story's east and south sides and a cooperative 2 story multiple bedroom town house on the southwest corner for employees of the shoppes and worker owners of the Cooperative over the complex located on the premises and additional apartments on both second and third floors on the west and third floor on the south side of the complex. All of this would be facing inward to the promanade or park that is encased within the hempcrete [website] walls with minor brick facade for highlights and still with a half arched view of the rivergreenway/riverfront from the first story to the south and west and second story to the south, and possibly a portico/veranda especially on the south side on the second and possibly a smaller balcony for both second and third story apartments.
Now in order to maintain the facade issue with the adjoining Wells Corridor Business District this plan has already forced the parking to be placed under Charis House completely; however by the very nature of the plan so far explained it is more obtuse than the original, but it also twenty times more energy efficient and community impacting as well. Since the design structure would allow the north and south sides of Faimount Place along Wells Street, facing west from an across the street at the Public Safety Memorial, to then also build outer businesses both on the east side wall facing east or toward the rest of the businesses in the neighborhood, because the complex itself has become the flood wall so the businesses on the outside first story should be okay. There would be approximately 50-80 15x10 studio bedroom apartments included.
There is one last issue of traffic safety which is simply resolved by creating an extended roundabout from High Street to the bridge with no circles involved. Simply putting a stop sign on Wells at High Street and then a full tri-coloured, trip triggered, four way, stop light system at Fairmount Place and North Wells at Wells Street/Fairfield Avenue and Ewing Street with a five minute deference pattern, would assure smooth transitioning from Downtown to both the Wells Street Corridor and the new complex located @ Fairmount Place or vice versa. By the way, as a reminder once this is done North Wells Street and Fairmount Place need to be renamed one name, please. And while it would be pretty good bragging rights to say that you literally live or work above a major intersection, the area if the complex that is built in front of the stage and the beginning 1st story of Charis House on the intersection of Fairmount and Wells Street should be reserved for the CoOps Offices.
Chicken Scratched by F6's Editor at 23:59 1 comments
Labels: Around Fort Wayne, Berry Street Beacon, City Council, EDAR, Equality, FTW News, Green Links, Gypsy Rose, Journal Gazette, Property Rights, Rescue Mission, Shanty Towns, SunMar Toilet, Wells Street
05 March 2009
TTDINdFORT:March-May: Learn2PaintDEggsDwayUkrainiansDo; WhyDIDtheybuildDaFORThere?; BaDRAGdiva?;30mealsin3hours; 1day2learn3instruments4$160;&MUCHMORE
PLEASE NOTE: This post has been updated so many times I had to break out all the colours from the box.
As every gay boi knows it's all in the details!! Yes this is Wednesdays post and yes it is running late, sorry, I had to verify two bits of information and one source cite.
FORT WAYNE PRIDE COMMITTEE at the end of this month is hosting a So You Think You Can Drag? contest @ After Dark Night Club, 1601 South Harrison Street, approximately 5 blocks South of The Grand Wayne Center, pass by Powers Hamburgers, go under the viaduct and hang left.
To volunteer as a Mentor or sign up to take part in the competition contact Chad Pratt aka Paige Turner via the FWPC MySpace or website. Each Contestant will be connected with your new Drag Mentor who "will meet with you and teach you the tricks of the trade" after which "you will be responsible for getting yourself ready from head to toe without the assistance of your mentor and perform" for the review of the Judges and enjoyment of the crowd during the Contest on the 28th @ After Dark. There will be a Drag King and a Drag Queen winner announced that will each receive a guaranteed performance the last weekend of July @ Pride Fest 2009 , paid entry to Mr. or Miss Pride, and a booking with Tula @ AFTER DARK.
UPDATE: Fort Wayne Pride Committee will also be hosting their first ever all ages GSA PROM (previously hosted by IPFW's Equal Rights Education Network) on the 18th of April @ 7:30P above Columbia Street West in the The Columbia Club Banquet Hall the entrance is on Harrison one block south of Superior. Admission for this event is $6 a person/ $10 couple. Come dance the night away in a safe place!
In other local Queer Community dramatic cause, there have been rumors floating around town that, also toward the end of this month, UP THE STAIRS COMMUNITY CENTER will be closing, due to loosing its primary donor, and hence not being able to pay the bills. However according to another source, they are still holding their Spring Euchre Tourney this Saturday beginning @ 7P. The buy in is $4 but you must call 260-422-2450 or email to register for the Tournament. There is more information on their website if you really want to participate.
EDITOR: Previous F6 post on UTSCC [click here] & for posts in regard to FWPRIDE [click here] please.
Now onto the rest of the things going on in The Community @ Large that are personally way more interesting. Tonight the 5th of March from 6-8P The Botanical Conservatory is hosting a course on Large Scale Urban Gardening with Ephraim Smiley. Since I didn't find out about it until after the deadline passed, I couldn't tell you all about it until now but hopefully there will be resources available from this class for dissemination by the general public later. First lets get the basic calendar stuff out off the way that I still have to add to the official F6 Calendar
MARCH! My lion has a limp wrist and the flock of sheep got pissed and left, lol!
7th and 21st Saturdays 11A & 2P @ Botanical ConservatoryNew Reoccurring Weekly and/or Monthly Events
ECO ENERGY: The world needs clean power and with a little creativity we can find energy in some of the most unlikely places. Of course there is solar, wind and wave energy, but there is also energy to be found in lemons, cow burps and even the money in your pocket.
8th Sunday DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME: switch clocks ahead one hour @ 2A
13th Monday FWPR Amazing Race Registration begins. 4 Person Team (2 any age, 50+, & 8-12)
=NOTE= Volunteers Needed 3 hr shifts, set up/tear down, and facilitate challenges.
17th Saint Patrick's Day
21st Sabbath of Ostara/Old Lady's Day Spring Equinox
UPDATED: 21st Sat 9:30A 6th District City Council Community Meeting Host: Glynn Hines
==>==>==> Link's Wonder Land 1711 East Creighton Ave (1 block west of No. Anthony Bvd.)
21st 9A-1P Community Bike Summit @ Allen Co. Public Library Main Branch
25th Solemnity of the Annunciation (Mary Conceiving Jesus In Her Womb By God)
25th Wed 11:30A-1P Tax Protest Revolt @ Statehouse (Indianapolis)
26th Thur 12N-1P @ Botanical Conservatory Clean Green Energy
Glenn Johnson, COO of Nature's Fuel, will discuss the future of clean and natural energy production. He will also detail the progress being made at the company’s Atwood, Indiana, plant and the potential of their new facility being built in Huntington. The company claims it can turn 200,000 tons of landfill waste into zero sulfur bio-oil and green electricity, with less total emissions per year than one harvest on a 300 acre farm with a small amount of solid residue that Cornell University says is better for farm soil than today’s fertilizers?
= Weekly @ McMillen Ice Arena Thur 9-11A Coffee Club (21+only);Why did they build a Fort here at the three rivers?
Fri 7-9P Cosmic Skating Night; Sun 2:30-4:30P Public Skate;
Rates: $5, Adults; $4, Seniors (55+); $3.50,Youth (5-17);
Free for Child under 5 & Spectators, $2.50 Skate Rental
+ Third Week Allen Co. Libertarian Party Business Meeting Day and Location To Be Announced
+ Third Monday 6:45P Bookworms: @ Franke Park Nature Lodge
Nature Literature Book Club, Non political literary discussion on social concerns & environment
+ Third Thursday 6-8P @ Botanical Conservatory
Thursday Night Unplugged Addmission: Adults $5; Children age 3-17 $3; 2 and under Free
March: Dan Dickerson; April: Dead In Denver & Dressed For The Weather; May: Swing Billies
If you have pondered this question in the past, on Tuesdays between the 7th of April and 12th of May @ Botanical Conservatory you will be provide better insight into the events between the late 1600’s through the War of 1812 by local Historian Matt Jones with an overview of the Native/Settler conflicts in the pre-settlement and Early American periods. Registration deadline 31 March Fee $26.
Green Eggs? Sam got nothing on this Ham!
The Ukranian form of egg dying for Easter, and Icon writing in general, is world renowned for its detail and naturally clean long lasting bases and descriptive tales. On Holy Saturday the 11th of April at 10A & 1:30P Catharine Green, a Pysanky Artist from Indianapolis will be Instructing a class on this ancient form of religious/cultural art. Everyone attending the class will also take home their own tool kit, including a kistka stylus, beeswax, and 6 dyes, in order to continue practicing and creating new egg designs at home. Registration Fee: $37 Conservatory Member Fee: $31 Deadline: 3rd April.
APRIL showers wilted the flowers, when We came across the fresh water jelly fish!
Please remember to Wrap It Up but throw the condom in the bin not down the drain.
2nd-Thur 6-8p @ Botanical Conservatory Registration deadline: March 27 Fee: $5MAY Don't forget to cook for your Mother this time around,please.
How Green Is My Water? Guide: Matt Jones, Water Resource Education Specialist, ACPWQ.
===>learn how to keep our water clean, building your own rain barrel, create a rain garden.
12th Sun Solemn Octave of the Resurrection aka Easter
14th Tues Lindenwood Opens
18th Sat @ FWPR
1. Children's Zoo Opens
2. City Amazing Race
(see 13th March also)
19th - Divine Mercy Sunday
19th Sun 12N-5P Save Maumee
Earth Day Project & River Clean Up @ Pemberton Dike North Anthony Blvd.
25th Sat 12N+ GREEN FEST @Southwest Conservation Club
5703 Bluffton Road
1st Fri SABBATH OF BELTANE
8th & 9th Fri & Sat 10A-5P @ Salomon Farm 817 W. DuPont Rd.
Natural Fiber Arts Celebration Free Admission & Parking
15th Fri 5P - 17th Sun 10A Libertarian Party of Indiana & Kentucky
Joint Convention Location TBA Later Clarksville, Indiana
As most can assert the way to a man's heart, especially mine, is through his stomach. Now not only can you be assured that he will have plenty to munch on but that it is healthy and nutritious too. There will be no more of "Honey, I'm way to tired to make dinner. Can you just reheat some left overs from last week for the kids and me?" because after taking this 30 Days of Delicious Cooking course taught by Ambia Cooper on Monday the 11th of May from 6-8P @ FWPR Community Center, 233 W. Main St. you and your family will learn to assemble and freeze nutritious meals for every meal all month long in just two hours!
The course includes the “The Freezer Cooking Manual: A Month of Meals Made Easy,” by fellow Hoosiers Nanci Slagle and Tara Wohlenhaus. Registration deadline: 4th May Fee: $28
Lend Me Your Ear & I'll Play You A Song, I'll Try To Stay In Tune.....
On the 16th of May you and/or your children ages 9 and older can learn to play up to 3 instruments and fill your lives with music at the FWPR Community Center on West Main Street. You have the choice of learning from 9A-12N for $63 the rustic beauty of this three string instrument which can be plucked, strummed, or bowed (videos) has been with us since the late 18th Century, the Mountain Dulcimer, is the perfect first instrument for a novice musician that is very easy to play; or from from 12:30-2:30P, you can learn the Harmonica, which was introduced to North America in 1862 - during the beginning of the Civil War. You will learn how to read harmonica music, play the instrument and translate any song into harmonica tablature for $40 (Adult w/Child $70); and then there is the Ukulele, which Portuguese sailors have been played for decades, from 3-5P for $56. You will receive your own instrument(s), music, and materials to take home. You will learn to play at least 10 songs (7 for the Ukulele). No prior musical training is necessary to attend The Workshops which can be taken individually or together for 160 dollars as an all day excursion into Folk Music and Culture. Registration deadline is the 8th of May.
EDITOR: The Mountain Dulcimer isn't the Hammered Dulcimer, which regained its popularity in the 1990s because of the late Rich Mullins, a Catholic recording artist (video), who used the instrument in his writing.
REFERENCE: Emma Downs and Steve Penhollow, whom are both regular coloumnist @ The Journal Gazette also co author a blog called Get a Load of This. In there 8th of March post FOUR STRING SHREDDER they covered the story of the Ukulele a little bit better than I could in this limited entry and also introduced their readership to Jake Shimabukuro who caught the attention of classical cellist Yo Yo Ma and performed @ C2G Ministries on Baker Street near Ewing Street on Sunday the 8th of March:
Yo-Yo Ma asked him to contribute to his CD "Songs of Joy"Shimabukuro: "When I was a kid, people often asked me who I'd play with if I could play with any musician in the world. And I'd say, as a joke, Yo-Yo Ma. It was so far fetched. Naturally, people would laugh and say, 'You are a ukulele player. I'm sure Yo-Yo Ma is going to want to play with a ukulele player.'"He is the sort of ukulele player who so thoroughly impresses people with his playing that they ask him to compose music for full orchestra (and he had) wrote the score for the movie "Hula Girl" and he is currently working on the soundtrack for another film that he declines to name.Shimabukuro: The ukulele should be like that.' I'd always kind of strive for that. I want to make my concerts so fun and exciting that people walk out when it's over giving each other high fives.
The video is from Corporate Country Sucks [website] [youtube], a Public Access Show based in Chicago.
Think About It!: So right here you have one example of one kid changing the world around him by taking up an instrument, that everyone disregards as a novelty item from back in the day, and nobody uses anymore, to an authentic modern expression of art, celebration of life, and a new international career. Think About It!
FORT WAYNE PARKS & RECREATION [WEBSITE]
Chicken Scratched by F6's Editor at 11:59 0 comments
Labels: Community Events, FW Parks n Rec, Gay Fort Wayne, Green Links, Libertarian, PRIDE, Things To Do In Fort Wayne, UTSCC, Youth and Young Adults