Aries (March 21-April 19)
Uncertain path. Results from past efforts roll in as the week begins. Challenges erupt on Tuesday as implacable obstacles prevent progress or trigger battles. Relationships fare well over the weekend with sweet gestures and romantic interludes on Friday and Saturday.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Divine intervention. Luck comes through women this week. You could become entangled in complicated situations midweek, with strong feelings on both sides. Take the opportunity to reconnect with old friends or an old flame as the weekend arrives.
Gemini (May 21-June 21)
Mental banana peels. A unique tradition revives as the week starts. Critical issues arise on Tuesday; a little one or idealized concepts could be the source of contention. After Thursday, work with others to improve harmony. Gather with delightful people on Friday.
Cancer (June 22-July 22)
Up and onwards. Women close to you discuss intense issues. Swift-changing circumstances on Tuesday reveal parts of your personality that are normally hidden. Aid, information and support become available on Friday. Flexible options are the key.
Leo (July 23-August 22)
Delayed selection. Some old business needs resolution on Monday. Emergencies, accidents or breakdowns can catch you off guard on Tuesday and Wednesday; blind spots are vulnerable. A person from a distant place has good news for you as the weekend arrives.
Virgo (August 23-September 22)
Whirligig. A well-connected woman helps with vital arrangements as the week begins. Injustices cause tensions to rise midweek; people swarm like angry bees if provoked. Finding satisfactory resolutions is an uphill battle. Little gifts and kindnesses arrive on Friday.
Libra (September 23-October 22)
Fierce competitor. Issues from the past come to a boil this week. Wronged parties strive to bring hidden or entrenched powers into the open for judgment or justice. Brains, courage and determination are keys to success. Shift to lighthearted fun on Friday evening.
Scorpio (October 23-November 21)
Innocent bystander. Objectives that were clear early in the year are the subject of grave questions now and test your loyalties. Secrets can be a source of undoing. Seek advice from a woman on Thursday. Relief comes from an unexpected source on Friday.
Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)
Milk and cookies. Take a fresh look at how shared resources are managed this week. Unfolding midweek events test loyalties and commitment to ethical practices. Results may hinge on your honesty and negotiating skills. Best results are attained on Friday.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)
Sun King. Positions that seem solid as the week begin to crumble by Tuesday. A build up of outside pressure may make compromises and retreats the best option for now. After Thursday, temporary resolutions create a window of time for further discussions.
Aquarius (January 20-February 18)
Rules change. This is a good time to brush up old skills. Anticipated plans may be confounded by unexpected issues or delays midweek. Be patient with circumstances beyond your control, and avoid extreme viewpoints. Weekend socializing leads to new friends.
Pisces (February 19-March 20)
Brain flash. Gears shift as autumn planning moves front and center and demands your full capacities. If sources of support wobble or plans get postponed midweek, look for better alternatives. Your extensive social network expands in fruitful ways over the weekend.

Depending on what source you listen to, there’s still and an $8 to 10 million deficit on the books for the City of Toledo. The question that’s on everyone’s minds is, how in the world do we close the gap and balance the budget? I think everyone knows, but no one really wants to say it: We need to close and cut more. In other words, we need to limit government.
I’ve taken a look at the 429-page city budget. I must confess, I haven’t looked at every single page, but me and a team of people are working our way through this gradually.
What we have been told time and time again by the city is that nothing else in the budget can be cut. That being said, me and some others began to wonder why we were still seeing some items in the budget, like:
n $208K in outside printing cost, while at the same time paying more than  $800,000 for a print shop.
n $130,000 in copier rentals.
n Office supply expenditures that rose from $12,000 in 2008 to $21,000 in 2009.
n More than $6.3 million in overtime (I’m thinking it’s time to freeze all overtime in our current economic situation, but what do I know?).
n $66,000 for “storeroom” (I have no clue what this is.)
n $40,000 in seasonal and intern service for the marina development (which we tend to spend a lot of money on in more than this one department).
n $9,000 on office furniture
(I’m thinking nothing should be here).
And the list goes on and on.
I’m not a financial specialist, but Economics 101 tells me that to stop the bleeding, you have to get rid of all nonessential expenditures; it doesn’t appear the city has done that yet.
When they say they can’t find anything else to cut from the budget and I look at the budget and find these things, I’m dubious, to say the least.
Someone has to come in, make the hard decisions and start cutting across the board. Expenditures grew substantially from 2007 to 2008, signaling a growth in government. Twenty-two percent of the funds collected by the city go to just running government. We need to shrink government, not grow it, to the bare necessities and departments.
There is a certain amount of courage and fortitude it takes to do that kind of thing. It takes the attitude of someone who is not looking out for the well-being of their political careers, but the livelihood of the people they’ve been elected to represent; to make the hard decisions and do what’s necessary even if it’s unpopular. The new administration, whoever that may be, needs to be prepared to get their hands dirty because this is just one big mess.

David Washington is a candidate for Toledo City Council. His Web site is www.prezforcouncil.org.

Recently, the shores of Lake Erie in Oregon and Port Clinton were the site of fundraisers. Both events featured a beautiful summer day with hot sun rays and a cool breeze, which served as the perfect atmosphere to relax with friends, have fun and raise money for a good cause.
The Boys & Girls Clubs hosted the seventh annual “Barefoot at the Beach” party at Maumee Bay State Park. More than 100 volunteers worked at the event and turned the sandy barren beach into a tropical paradise with tiki huts, fire pits and palm trees. This year, among the volunteers were members of the Toledo Chamber of Commerce’s EPIC group, who served as bartenders, pouring drinks for the crowd.

Tim Wade, Dave Wehrmeister and Don Harbaugh at Barefoot at the Beach.

One of the leading sponsors of the event was Toledo Molding and Die (TMD). President Don Harbaugh said he learned about the Boys & Girls Clubs from his wife, who always told him about the impact they have on kids. Harbaugh supports the clubs through company philanthropy and his personal service on the local club’s board of trustees.
“You see what you do when you walk into the clubs,” Harbaugh said. “It is a concrete difference in the lives of kids.”
Boys & Girls Club President Tim Wade said the event is designed to raise funds and friends. It is an opportunity to spread the word on what the clubs do for kids considered “at risk.” Once familiar with the mission and programs of the Boys & Girls Clubs, it is hoped that new friends made at the event become funders.
“Our problem is not going away. In a down economy, it is getting worse,” Wade said. “Our demands are up and community-minded businesses and people understand that.”
Dave Wehrmeister, executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs reported that $100,000 was raised at the event which had approximately 1,000 attendees. Funds will be used to support the mission and programs of the clubs in serving inner city youth.
Gem Beach Rocks Again
Another beach party was hosted a little further out on the Lake Erie shore at Gem Beach Marina in Port Clinton. “Gem Beach Rocks, Again” was held for a second year on the beach of the marina to benefit United Way in Ottawa County.
The daylong event featured music, food, beer and plenty of sun, sand and waves.
The director of United Way in Ottawa County, Chris Galvin, is appreciative of the generosity of Gem Beach in hosting the event again this year.

Steve Lovitt at Gem Beach Rocks.

“Gem Beach has made a strong commitment to the community through expansion projects at the marina and through their investment in the United Way,” Galvin said.
Gem Beach Marina provided the venue, as well as logistical support of the event. Additionally, the marina owners, Steve and Megan Lovitt, serve as volunteer leaders of the event and serve United Way in Ottawa County throughout the year.
Galvin said because of competing events and the economy the gross proceeds of this year’s event will be less than last year’s total of $70,000, but was pleased to have an increase in community involvement. This year 200 people volunteered to help at the event compared to last year’s 130 volunteers.
Upcoming events
Aug. 19-24:  2010 Mercedes Car Raffle. Toledo Children’s Hospital is raffling off a new 2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 in an exclusive drawing sponsored by Vin Devers Autohaus of Sylvania. The car will be raffled on Aug. 24 or when all 500 tickets are sold. Tickets are $200. Call (419) 291-5463 or visit promedica.org/givetch for more information.
Sept. 11-13:  Greek American Festival. For the 39th year, the parishioners of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral share their culture with Northwest Ohio residents. Enjoy ethnic food, music and dance. Admission is $3. Visit toledogreekfest.com for more information.

Christine Senack is a Toledo-based consultant helping nonprofit organizations, businesses and individuals work smarter for the greater good of our community. On occasion, she also presents the TMZ Report on FOX Toledo News First at 4. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

For anyone who missed the 2008 Big Ten football season, for whatever reason, including sad feelings of nostalgia, this season might be a facsimile if you’re still interested.
No, the Big Ten won’t regain the national prominence it once commanded, the conference’s Big Two won’t include Michigan, again, and Jim versus Rich doesn’t even come close to emulating the old Bo-Woody headliners. Yes, excitement will be prevalent, but national attention will be paltry.
It might be therapeutic if you try to invigorate your Big Ten football senses with these nuggets of prophecy based on fuzzy hypothesis.
Ohio State should win a conference-record fifth straight title, defeating a somewhat depleted Penn State in Happy Valley on Nov. 7 and then mash Michigan for the sixth consecutive time in the conference finale for both teams on Nov. 21 at UM.
OSU’s sophomore Terrelle Pryor will probably be the most scrutinized player in the country.
Michigan will improve just by winning the games it’s supposed to win with no mediocre Toledos or Division II Appalachian States stepping in the way. There’s Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Indiana and Delaware State. That should be four victories, already one more than last year.
The Wolverines suffered through their first nine-game losing streak in school history last season, lost to their three biggest rivals, Michigan State, Notre Dame and Ohio State, all in the same season for the first time since 1987, allowed a school record 28.9 points per game and failed to gain 300 yards per game for the first time since 1967. The point is, how can they not improve?
The Buckeyes will dispatch a depleted USC team that includes a new quarterback in the Bucks’ second game of the season on Sept. 12, while Michigan will again lose to Notre Dame on the same day. The Fighting Irish will have a huge advantage at quarterback with veteran Jimmy Clausen probably facing off against UM freshman Tate Forcier.
Penn State coach Joe Perpetuity, 82, has a new hip, a new contract through 2011 and the same old quarterback, Daryll Clark, who, alone, gives the Nittany Lions a decent shot at back-to-back titles for the first time since joining the Big Ten 16 years ago. If PSU defeats Ohio State on Nov. 7, it will give the Lions their first back-to-back wins over the Buckeyes in school history.
Michigan State is picked to finish a distant third in the Big Ten. Why? No one is quite sure when you consider that the Spartans have lost 12 straight to Top 25 teams and were humiliated by the Big Two by a combined score of 94-25 last season. Coach Mark Dantonio’s rebuilding job continues and now that he’s cleaned up the cultural aspects of the program as they relate to dumb mistakes, key turnovers and attitude adjustments, it’s time to win some football games. And guess what? Ohio State is not on the schedule.
Some folks would like to think that Iowa is the best of the bronze medal contenders with a good quarterback in Ricky Stanzi and enough returning starters to turn around its four losses last season by a total of 12 points. Sorry Hawkeyes. You play Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan State all on the road. Better luck next year.
Illinois has the very exciting Juice Williams at quarterback, but he’s been inconsistent and the defense was incompetent last season — two debilitating inadequacies. The Fighting Illini fell from Rose Bowl stature in 2007 to 5-7 last year. Which one was the fluke?
Let’s stick Michigan and Wisconsin in the sixth and seventh slots in our fearless and sporadically flawed Big Ten football forecast. You can choose the order. Wisconsin, again, has quarterback issues. And when’s the last time you can remember two different quarterbacks starting the season at Michigan in back-to-back years without ever taking a snap for the Wolverines in a game situation? Last year’s starter, red-shirt freshman Steven Threet, transferred and backup Nick Sheridan broke his leg and didn’t participate in spring practice. Michigan, may the Forcier be with you.
Northwestern has one of the best young coaches in the country in Pat Fitzgerald and is definitely the dark horse in the conference because of its veteran defense that might prove to be the best in the Big Ten. The Wildcats could be 7-0 going into their game against Penn State in TCF Bank Stadium. Neither Ohio State nor Michigan are on the schedule.
Can we throw Minnesota, Purdue and Indiana into a hat? Please? Minnesota has a new on-campus outdoor stadium, leaving the warm, cushy confines of the Metrodome. It gives coach Tim Brewster a leg up when it comes to recruiting in such high school football hotbeds as Fairbanks, Nome and Bismark. Indiana returns 18 starters. That’s a valid wow factor until you consider that they’re returning from an 11th-place team.
As for Purdue, long-time coach Joe Tiller, of Toledo, is gone and so, probably, will be his, “Fast break on grass offense” that caught the Big Ten by surprise 11 years ago and kept defenses guessing until Tiller’s retirement at the end of last season.
It should be a very interesting season even, without anyone making a run at a spot in the BCS title game, shouldn’t it?

On Aug. 28, the animals at the Toledo Zoo will have to compete for attention with four popular rock bands jamming at the amphitheater, as part of a 40-stop nationwide tour.
Staind, Shinedown, Halestorm and Chevelle are stopping in Toledo to bring what they consider an affordable concert in response to the dwindling economy. The tour, called “Stimulate This!,” charges a base price of $40 a ticket.
“I kind of came up with the idea of this tour by seeing what was going on in this country and how basically what our esteemed president is doing at the moment is bailing out irresponsible corporations for their business actions and empowering the people that are already taking out of the system without putting into the system and lining a bunch of pockets of friends,” said Aaron Lewis, the lead guitarist from Staind.
Lewis said he and the other four bands’ members are willing to “make sacrifices” to bring a cheaper show to their fans at a time when most people forfeit fun events like rock concerts because the economy has left many unemployed or underemployed.
None of the band members specifically said what they would have to forfeit on tour to achieve the ticket price of $40 or less, however.

Staind

Staind, Shinedown and Halestorm have all ranked on Billboard’s top music hits, with one of Staind’s albums placing third out of 400, one of Shinedown’s hits within the top 10 out of 100 and Halestorm’s tune at 40th place out of 100, according to a release from Kelly McWilliam, publicity for Atlantic Records.
Staind started in 1995 and has sold millions of albums under the reputation that lyric writer Lewis harps about pain and suffering to the tunes of his three other bandmates’ rocking guitar, drums and bass, according to their biography on staind.com. He has recently started writing more politically charged songs.
The band has gained so much popularity that the four musicians have sold 13 million albums worldwide.
Lewis and Brent Smith from Shinedown agreed that they expect many of their fans to save up all summer just to see these four bands together — especially the fanatic groupies.
“The difference between a female groupie and a male groupie is a female groupie wants to fantasize about having sex with you or having your children,” Lewis said. “A male groupie wants to, like, make a shirt of out of your skin and like, put it on.”
Lewis and Smith have similar voices and Shinedown enjoys just about the same caliber of attention. Their latest album called “The Sound of Madness,” ranking eighth on the Billboard 200 list, right after it debuted last summer.
Shinedown also has a guitar, bass and percussion player.
Smith said he loves his fans and that it is his bands’ privilege to play to crowds all over the country and the “sacrifices” they’ll have to make to keep ticket prices low will not reflect on the quality of their show.
“One thing, though, that is a little difficult, that we want to put on a good show, so even though ticket prices are a little bit less, we’re still paying all the same for our production and all that stuff and I know all of us are still taking out full production to put on a great show,” Smith said.
Chevelle hasn’t made it on Billboard charts, but the have spent over 10 years together and will release their latest album, “Sci Fi Crimes,” in September.
Sam Loeffler, the lead singer of Chevelle, said he loves writing music, but decided to participate in the “Stimulate This!” tour because he understands the economic plight of his fans.
“I’m making half the money I used to make even two years ago and that’s OK,” Loeffler said.
Halestorm started in 1998, as Lzzy and her brother Arejay Hale decided to start putting some of her writing, that dates back to when she was 13 years old, to music, according to the biography on halestormrocks.com. Lzzy Hale writes edgy lyrics about love and sex and Halestorm’s sound is a hard rock tone, laced with guitar solos and partnered with her harsh but feminine voice.
She was recently named one of the “hottest chicks in metal” by Revolver magazine and she said she is proud to be a woman playing music with popular male counterparts.
“It does feel very empowering because, on this one, I’m the only girl on the bill and to be surrounded by such powerhouses and such amazing songwriters and front men. I mean, it’s amazing because, I mean, I get inspired by them,” Hale said. “I feel like I’m going to feel like this really lucky little sister on this tour so I’m going to learn a lot, but I feel like I’ll be able to hold my own and I don’t know, just have a really good time with all of them.”
Lewis said he is excited to stop in Toledo, despite previous legal charges that Lucas County Republican Party Chairman Jon Stainbrook pressed on his band years ago, claiming that Staind’s name was too similar to “The Stain,” a local band he once played in.

My son called the other day to let me know his vehicle had just quit running and he was sitting alongside the roadway. I can tell you that trying to diagnose a vehicle’s problem over the telephone can be tough. Trying to diagnose a symptom over a cell phone as cars and trucks are whizzing by makes the job even tougher. Nonetheless, without too much trouble, we were able to figure out that the vehicle wasn’t getting any fuel. Why it wasn’t getting any fuel was still up in the air, and needed further diagnosis. My boy doesn’t carry a lot of tools with him and, even if he did, the roadside is not the place to perform in-depth diagnosis. The actual problem couldn’t be identified on the highway.
Considering his current circumstances, we determined that a tow truck and a good service shop was the best solution. A little while later I got a call back from my boy, he had found the problem.
Apparently, he was sitting in his car awaiting the tow truck’s arrival when he decided to read the owner’s manual. While reading the owner’s manual, he noticed that the fuel pump’s electrical circuit contained an in-line fuse. He checked the fuse and found that it was blown. He installed a new fuse and the vehicle started.
He was very happy, as you might imagine, because fuel pumps for late model cars don’t come cheap. When you add in the cost of labor, well, a second mortgage may have been necessary in order to get the car out of hock.
The lesson he gained can be shared with all of us; that lesson is simply how valuable the vehicle’s owner’s manual can be. Located between all the disclaimers, warnings and cautions, you will find valuable information.
Not only can you find the location of all the fuses and relays aboard your car, you can usually find some very handy troubleshooting charts. Those troubleshooting charts cover a wide range of common vehicle problems.
The proper operation of all the different switches and electrical devices are contained within the owner’s manual. How do you set up and operate that combination GPS/six-disc CD player with am/fm radio and voice command logic? You’ll find the entire procedure within the owner’s manual.
What should the tire pressure be set at when you’re pulling your boat? The answer is located in the owner’s manual.
What light bulb should be used for the blinkers? The owner’s manual lists all the part numbers for everyone of the bulbs used on the vehicle.
The owner’s manual is your source of information for fluid capacities and fluid specifications for both summer and winter driving. Air filter and oil filter part numbers are also found within the manual.
The proper vehicle weight ratings and loading information are contained in the owner’s manual as well. Vehicle maintenance schedules can be found within the owner’s manual.
You will also find warranty information and manufacturer contact telephone numbers.
You will find the proper way to wash your car in the owner’s manual. The manual will inform you of the proper soaps and waxes you can safely use on your painted surfaces as well as on your leathers and plastics.
If you have all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive on your vehicle there will be an entire section on the proper use of those features. The proper function of the traction control and anti-lock brake systems is discussed in detail.
While writing this article, I was perusing my own vehicle’s owner’s manual and found an interesting feature that my car’s interior lighting system has that I was totally unaware of. Apparently, I can have my interior lamps turn off immediately after closing the driver’s door or I can have them slowly dim after the door is closed. I was unaware of this cool feature.
I guess I should have read my own owner’s manual rather than assume I knew everything there is to know about my car. My point is that even an experienced technician can’t know everything there is to know about every car on the road. Even his or her own car can have features the technician is unaware of.
My son inadvertently reminded me of a valuable information source that I often overlook. I am so used to looking up complex service information in thick-bound service manuals or on computer based service information systems that I sometimes forget about the handy information source located right in the glove box.
Although we won’t be able to disassemble and reassemble the transmission using the owner’s manual, we surely will be able to locate the fuses using it.

Nick Shultz is an instructor of Automotive Technologies at Owens Community College. He is an arbitrator for the Better Business Bureau who specializes in cases involving the Ohio and Michigan Lemon laws. He is a certified master automotive technician by ASE, General Motors Corp.  and Ford Motor Co. Shultz, a Toledo native, will take questions from letters@toledofreepress.com.

Toledo has, for years, been the butt of jokes across the country. Our city has a reputation for dumb decisions, idiotic policies and incompetent leaders. Remarkably, it is not only the reputation that has gone national, but also the faults and failures that created it.
Some of these are certainly not unique to the Glass City. These include:
n Political decisions made outside the bounds of reality. Toledo City Council wants us to use mega-sized trash containers for automated pickup, even though they will be impossible to use on some city streets, and mayoral candidate Ben Konop wants to force businesses to pay outrageous “living wages.” Washington is rife with similar schemes, most significantly health care demolition, which are likewise based on ignorance, deceit, illogic and other departures from reality on a massive scale.
n Inflated taxes and energy costs. Toledoans pay high taxes, punitive fees and other creative “revenue enhancements.” The statists in Washington are intent on taking these faults nationwide through “Cap and Trade,” and taxes will be further increased as former President Bush’s tax cuts are allowed to expire and new taxes are piled on for health care demolition.
n Wasteful spending. As necessities languish, Mayor Finkbeiner loves to unaccountably fritter away taxpayer money on indulgences from private showers to shrubs and signs, then bemoans the city’s deficit. President Obama doubles the federal deficit, including signing a porkulus bill that blows $54 billion on fiscally wasteful and irresponsible bureaucracies, then says we have to cut the deficit, while blaming it all on his predecessor.
n Population exodus. Many cities and states have lost population, as taxpayers who can afford to do so relocate to jurisdictions with less punitive taxes and less incompetent government. Now it’s happening nationally, as Americans of means relocate to countries that actually welcome and respect the wealthy instead of seeing them as piñatas to be whacked with the sticks of taxes, litigation, class envy, over-regulation and nationalization until their riches fall to the ground and are gobbled up by the greedy.
Others may be somewhat more unique to Toledo, but are now becoming national policy regardless of their legacy here.
n Arrogant and narcissistic leaders. While President Obama has a long ways to go before he can be compared to Mayor Carty Finkbeiner in terms of instability and volatility, they are one and the same in making themselves the center of attention and believing themselves to be infallible.
n Embarrassing behavior by the leaders: His Volatility’s résumé of unseemly conduct is the stuff of legend. Nationally, we now have a president who proudly follows in those stumbling footsteps, from startlingly tawdry and egotistical gifts of state to smearing a police officer in Cambridge, Mass., in the Henry Gates affair and then striding ahead unconcernedly as Cambridge Police Sergeant Crowley was left to assist the aged Professor Gates down the steps following their meeting at the White House.
n Government competition with private business at taxpayer expense. The Erie Street Market loses money for the city, while unfairly competing with private businesses that are forced to subsidize it with their taxes. Nationally, the federal government is now partial owner of General Motors and Chrysler, and wants to do to private health insurance what Finkbeiner did to private ambulance service.
n Insensitivity to the voters. Unless they’re insiders or allies, voters who ask hard questions of the mayor or council are more likely to get a response from the gravel in their driveways. Likewise, dissenting views expressed to the Anointed in Washington, including Misrepresentative Kaptur and Sen. Brown, are either ignored or responded to with clichés and canned replies that are totally irrelevant to the questions being asked.
n Demonization of dissent. Rather than honestly debating the issues on their own merits, the city cabal of Finkbeiner and one of America’s grating newspapers typically responds to criticism with smear campaigns and exposés. Nationally, those who disagree with health care demolition are being branded as mobs, alluded to as Nazis, and roughed up in and expelled from town hall meetings for having the temerity to exercise their First Amendment rights of free speech and assembly.
n Reporting law-abiding citizens to the government. Finkbeiner has urged Toledoans to fink, as it were, on one another, reporting to him opportunities to punish citizens with “revenue enhancements.” The White House Web site now has a page on which Americans are urged to report other Americans for “fishy speech” containing “disinformation” about health care demolition.
I love my country and my city, and it is a very sad thing to see Toledo’s screw ups being emulated nationally.

Thomas Berry is an archivist and conservative writer in Toledo. He blogs at http://thechildrenofliberty.ning.com.

Dan Faehnle has been logging a lot of miles, globe-hopping as the guitarist for Pink Martini.
“I’ve been traveling so much with Pink Martini in the last couple of years that I just have not put my own thing together in awhile. I’m due to make [a disc], and it’ll probably be an organ trio CD — organ, guitar, drums. I like that format,” he said by phone when home in Cincinnati.

Dan Faehnle

With Pink Martini, Faehnle has recorded “Hang on Little Tomato” (2004), “Hey Eugene” (2007) and a new disc due out in October. The eclectic ensemble is known for mixing multilingual ingredients with a splash of retro spirit.
“[Pink Martini’s music] was just always so different, and I think that’s what’s nice for the audience and probably why they’ve done so well because it’s something so different; people never see anything like this, at least all in one show,” Faehnle said.
The Ohio native had an eye-opening education when he played in Diana Krall’s band from 2000 to 2003.
“You did more stuff in a week than most people — or I up until that point — would do in a year. You’d play ‘Letterman’ one night, you’d play Carnegie Hall the next. You were playing on great stages all around the world; that was really a great thing to be a part of,” he said.
“I learned to play and hear music on concert stages as opposed to jazz clubs. And I learned a lot about life. Groups that travel on the road, sometimes it’s not as glamorous as people might think. It’s actually very hard. You’re going from city to city. So Diana and all these people worked very hard, playing a concert at night and getting up at 6 and 7 the next morning and getting to the airport to get to the next gig.”
The guitarist will play two sets with bassist Clifford Murphy, pianist Claude Black and drummer Sean Dobbins at 9 and 11 p.m. Aug. 29 at Murphy’s Place. Tickets are $15, $10 and $8.
“It’s very important in this day and age especially to have a direct link to someone that has played [jazz] at the time this music was created, to have a direct connection, and that’s how you feel when you play with Clifford and Claude,” he said. “They were there at the time this music was created; it’s, therefore, a learning experience to play with them and it’s a great feeling to play with them.”
Faehnle said the quartet will decide what to play.
“That’s the beauty of the way the music is set up. I could go play in Europe with people who don’t even speak the same language, but we could still play ‘Stella by Starlight.’”

I am not a regular follower of country music, but Toby Keith’s current record, “American Ride,” is not a typical beer and broken hearts song.
A heavy rocker with a strong Steve Earle influence, “American Ride” is a breakneck, barely-three-minutes-long race through the American mindset.
Within the first few words of the song, Keith tackles global warming, immigration, gas prices and the marginalization of Christianity.
That’s a lot of ideological burden for a Top 10 song on the country charts, surrounded by tales of cheatin’ and drinkin’.
Before the song is through, Keith comments on the voyeuristic pleasure of TV, the youth fascination with YouTube, the preoccupation with beauty and plastic surgery, our litigious impulses and drug abuse.
The chorus is a defiant, ironic war cry: “That’s us, That’s right/Gotta love this American ride!”
That spirit certainly echoes life in Toledo. The recognition that things are crazy, funny/sad and definitively us is evident in today’s headlines. A media-driven controversy over the closing of the South YMCA, an ongoing battle between the mayor and city council and a debate over a mayoral candidate’s spoof video dominate the news.
There may be fair questions to ask about the YMCA and its operations, but the unsurprisingly over-the-top daily coverage, tainted by 13 years of contentious rancor, has hijacked the legitimate conversation between the community and the organization.
The inability of Mayor Carty Finkbeiner to work constructively with city council is pushing the city closer and closer to a budgetary crisis.
The lack of dialogue and the dueling press releases filled with insults do not inspire pride or confidence.
Ben Konop’s decision to film a skit showing him fighting his critics, and in the process knocking an American flag to the ground, was treated in some corners as if it were a video of Konop robbing a bank. The video may have shown poor judgment, and the campaign’s reaction, especially a call to a “major” announcement Aug. 16 that was anything but, has been clumsy, but the result has been a distraction from important campaign issues.
It’s crazy late-summer action, but that’s us; gotta love this
Toledo ride!

Thomas F. Pounds is president and publisher of Toledo Free Press. Contact him at tpounds@toledofreepress.com.

To view the Mud Hens Muddy Shuttle schedule for Aug. 23, 2009, click here.