Crystal Bowersox has no idea how much she is helping Northwest Ohio, but she will have an opportunity to see that firsthand if her ride on “American Idol” continues.
Toledo is facing its greatest challenge of the modern era. A population drain has steadily robbed the heart of Lucas County of human and financial resources, and while Sylvania, Maumee, Rossford, Perrysburg and other nearby towns have grown, the result is a socioeconomic circus freak with bulging, healthy arms and legs but a withered, frail torso, topped by a confused brain torn in several directions at once.
The problems are myriad.
The problems are crushing.
The population decline has ripple effects that spread to nearly every facet of life in Toledo. Fewer people means a reduced tax base. That simple equation has devastated the stream of funds that flows through the city and its school system. The City of Toledo and Toledo Public Schools are, combined, nearly $80 million in debt. Both entities are proposing cuts and reductions, while preparing an assault on voters to ask for more funds, an extremely unpopular — albeit inevitable — move.
Layoffs, lost service and a frighteningly reduced quality of life loom over the city and school system like angry black clouds pregnant with golf ball-size hail. Police and firemen are placed on the chopping block with swimming pools and basic maintenance needs. Arts and athletics are lined up against the wall, waiting for the accountant firing squad to pull the triggers with their pens and computer keyboards.
I look to the north as Detroit implodes, closing schools and abandoning neighborhoods, and I just want to weep at the thought of Toledo rotting into such disarray, its neighborhoods succumbing to the cancer of neglect. I try to imagine the history-rich corridors of Libbey High School falling silent, like those at Macomber, like those at DeVilbiss, and just shake my head in sadness and helplessness.
That sadness is tinged with anger at the generation of elected leaders — and the seven out of 10 eligible people who do not bother to vote — who walked like zombies as the early signs surfaced, ignored them and further ignored an increasing litany of indicators  and opportunities that may have lessened the damage. It’s not feasible to comb through the records to pinpoint the legion of mistakes and arrogance epitomized by the administrations of Carty Finkbeiner, Jack Ford and the city councils who joined in their dance of reckless destruction, but history will hold all them accountable.
It’s a sad time. A scary time. An angry time. A frustrating, mangled, overwhelming time.
And then, just as the daily stream of news thickens with the sludge of dire economic tidings, a rocker chick with dreadlocks and a well-used guitar arrives to offer distraction, escape, entertainment, fun and hope.
Bowersox is sexy-cute in the way only Midwest American women are. She is identifiably one of us. She has the tough background, the earned humility, the work ethic and the pure sleeves-rolled up determination that thrives and replicates in the less tony areas of our city.
She has earned her shot at fame and fortune, working in the city’s bars and clubs, honing her skills, wringing the ups and downs of her life into every nuance and inflection of her voice.
And what a voice! At once knowing, innocent, strong, vulnerable, inviting, distant, soaring and aching, Bowersox takes advantage of each atom of breath as it passes through her lungs, larynx and every ridge of her inner mouth and lips. It is a voice so superior to her fellow contestants’ instruments, it threatens to cut short her “Idol” journey because her casual vocal brilliance is judged with greater expectation and a higher standard.
The spotlights on the national stage Bowersox is making her own, bounce heat and light all the way to Northwest Ohio. We need the attention and positive vibe Bowersox brings. As she continues her march to the “Idol” finals, the stakes on her shoulders grow, not just for her personally and professionally, but for an entire city that needs something good to follow and feel connected to. I understand that watching “American Idol” and rooting for Bowersox is a trifling use of time compared to voting and following news and educating one’s self. But I also recognize the organic value in a region rallying behind, cheering for and falling in love with a local woman who has an opportunity to show the nation exactly how much heart, guts and talent we have to offer.
Solar panels? Alternative energy research? Mentions in national development publications? All recognized, appreciated and respected. But not loved. Bowersox is on the cusp of galvanizing our region as a lightning-strike of hope and good feeling.
A kind word for Bowersox from Simon Cowell doesn’t fill a lone pothole or bring a sole business to Downtown, but her ascent contributes raindrops to what could be a flood of good feeling. Toledo’s self-respect river is at its lowest tide in memory, but enough of those raindrops and there might eventually be enough good feelings for everyone to at least dip their toes in.
It’s just “American Idol,” not our economic salvation. But for as many weeks as America will have her, Bowersox brings much-needed good news and good feelings for her home region.
No pressure, Crystal, but we need you. You’re making us proud, and you have no idea what that means to us.

Michael S. Miller is editor in chief of Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star. E-mail him at mmiller@toledofreepress.com.

With the exception of the remarks made by Mayor Mike Bell at the beginning of the March 16 Toledo City Council meeting, the closing comments of Council President Wilma Brown and a few minor references during the meeting, you’d never know that the City of Toledo was facing a more than $48 million deficit.
Brown said at the end that the “news media has stated that city council’s vocabulary appears to be limited to the word ‘no.’ ”
I suggest that it is not the city council of “no” it’s the city council of “slow.”
Most of the problems revolve around a clear understanding of the Rules of Council, of which there are only 48, a mere 10-page document.  They aren’t that hard, if they were actually followed.
March 16’s meeting offered many examples of rule confusion and more vote confusion when one member of council voted one way before the explanation was given then changed his vote.  More than once you can hear laughter during the audio of the meeting, not from the audience, but from Council members and staff.
Council also spends an inordinate amount of time on resolutions.  With rare exception when a resolution pertains to the actual municipality, most of the other resolutions before council are meaningless.
They hold no power.
On Oct. 27, a resolution I wrote was approved by council. While I am firm in my conviction it was proper to urge the General Assembly to consider increasing the penalties against those who commit violence against those in our community who are homeless,  I was under no illusions that this had any power beyond drawing media attention and perhaps the attention of the General Assembly.
Nor thankfully did this resolution require a hearing or debate. It took longer for the requisite photo op with council than it did for them to approve it.
One perfect example of both rule and resolution issues took place March 16. It was related to the discussion of a new resolution that depending on which side of the argument you were on, replaced or clarified, a resolution council passed on Feb. 2 by a vote of 11-1. It was similar to the resolution I crafted, urging the Ohio General Assembly to do something. In this case it was related to phone service.
Some of those on council who voted for the first resolution, after hearing from some of the unions, the Chamber of Commerce and AT&T, decided that they should not have voted for the first resolution, instead of making a simple statement or just moving on with the larger issues faced by the city, a new resolution was crafted.
This one was more in support of the position that the unions, AT&T and the Chamber of Commerce took.
An almost three hour committee meeting was hosted on the topic of this new resolution on March 4 that included testimony.
The fact the Senate had already voted on the bill, so it was no longer relevant as far as their being influenced by either resolution, did not stop the almost three-hour discussion nor the discussion that took place on March 16.  A motion was made to table this resolution.
Normally, a motion to table under the Rules of Council means no further discussion until the motion is voted on. But, since council has established a tradition of allowing members who had their lights on before the motion to table was made, to speak, that rule was not enforced.
This created another lengthy debate on a resolution that had no power. It was argued the message sent was the reason.
Yet, what kind of a message does it really send when something as simple as a resolution creates hours of discussion?
There is no excuse for some members of council to not know their own rules. Now, more than ever, we need decisive and serious leadership that results in action, not paper resolutions.

Toledo Free Press contributor Lisa Renee Ward is operator of the political blog Glass City Jungle.

This week, Congress had an opportunity to do a lot of good for a lot of people, including you and me. If the Republicans can quit fiddling while America burns, something of actual value to the average citizen might happen. Wouldn’t that be something! Unfortunately, it appears that all of the Republicans and a number of spineless Democrats who are beholden to the insurance companies will probably miss the opportunity to be a part of history.
The Republican spin machine is in full swing, misleading and misinforming the public. If you listen to them in order on the tube, they sound like Stepford Wives as they repeat, word for word, the same message, carefully crafted to misinform the public. They continue on their quest to obstruct virtually all business that comes before them.
I listened to Bob Latta parroting all the usual points on the local news the other night, droning on about “government run” health care, etc., etc. For starters, if he had actually read the legislation, nowhere in it is anything that even remotely resembles government run health care, other than the obvious, Medicare. Oh, and by the way, this bill will drive up the cost of Medicare to you and decrease your benefits. The American public, by overwhelming margins, doesn’t want this jammed down their throats, yadda yadda yadda.
The polls show that the public does not like the bill, by large margins, as it is portrayed. What they don’t tell you is that if it is broken down into its individual components, they are just as overwhelmingly supported by even larger margins. The Republicans also falsely state that no benefits will accrue for years even though we pay for it immediately. The Democratic Party has finally managed to put together a list of coherent talking points that address some of these misconceptions. Within the first year the bill will:

• Offer tax credits to small businesses to purchase coverage.
• Prohibit pre-existing conditions denials for all children in new plans.
• Provide immediate access for uninsured Americans with pre-existing conditions through temporary high risk pools.
• Prohibit dropping of coverage in individual plans when you get sick.
• End lifetime limits and restrictive annual limits in all plans.
• Provide premium rebates to enrollees for insurers with high administrative costs and require public disclosure of premium to overhead costs.
• Ensure consumers have access to an effective internal and external appeals process to appeal new insurance plan decisions.
• Require plans to cover enrollees’ children until age 26.
• Require new plans to cover preventative services and immunizations without cost sharing.

These are going to happen in the first year, and according to the same polls, are overwhelmingly popular. The lesson is that the medium is the message. The method of asking the questions in these polls often gives conflicting results.
Let’s address the other popular Republican scare tactic: that the seniors will have their Medicare benefits cut while raising their taxes. There will be an increase on the taxes of individuals making $200,000 or couples making $250,000 or more, it’s true. The increase however, is slight compared to the rising costs of health care, and will actually extend the solvency of Medicare.
To most middle-class working families, all of these things would be welcomed in these hard times especially.
Some of our most popular programs, such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and many other social programs had similar poll numbers when first instituted. Once they became law, they became not only popular, but programs that are taken for granted today by most of the population. Oddly enough, the same Republicans who try to destroy the social safety net we’ve all come to expect for decades,  posit themselves as its staunchest defenders. They’ve become masters at massaging the message so that it appears to mean the exact opposite of their purpose. One thing is clear, however.
The status quo definitely isn’t working and will not heal itself. It’s time to address these problems, and while the current bill is by no means a be all/end all answer to all the problems, it is a start. Let’s get it done, for all our sakes.

It’s funny how commercial jingles sometimes pop up into your head and how difficult it is to shake them once they do. This happened to me just the other day while in the midst of writing. I kept hearing:

“Look for the union label, when you are buying a coat, dress or blouse. Remember somewhere our union’s sewing, our wages going to feed the kids and run the house. We work hard but who’s complaining. Thanks to the I.L.G. we’re paying our way. So, always look for the union label, it says we’re able to make it in the U.S.A.”

These were the lyrics of a 1975 song by Paula Green that the International Ladies Garment Workers Union used to stimulate interest in products made by their members (as if there isn’t enough interest in ladies garments already). When I heard them however, I wasn’t thinking about clothing but politics. It seems that far too often these days we find a union label on those in elected office and that it’s increasingly becoming problematic for them.

The label certainly appeared to be firmly in place on politicians in Washington, DC when they told us that they were trying to create jobs. It seems however, that the only sector of the job market that they were interested in growing was that of union government workers. In fact, during a period of increasing unemployment in this country, the number of union represented government workers rose in 2009 by over 64,000, according to the Heritage Foundation piece, “Government Unions Win, You Lose”.

The label was likewise visible when we look back at the bailout of automakers General Motors and Chrysler. The government bypassed guaranteed debtors when reorganizing these companies, giving generous holdings of the new stock instead to labor unions.

Negotiations on health care reform saw this label firmly in place as well. The disparity of health coverage and the concept of taxing those with “Cadillac plans” was considered a crucial part to paying for the newly covered, but the president and legislators were quick to provide exception to union health care plans.

Perhaps this label is part of the reason DC politicians now enjoy some of the lowest approval ratings ever recorded, but they are not alone. Politicians in cities across the country also find themselves in a predicament related to the union label. Many over the years have heavily lobbied for and proudly proclaimed union endorsements in their campaigns to gain votes. Troubled local economies have them facing quite the conundrum now though.

Toledo for example finds itself looking at a budget deficit of over $40 million, while recognizing that the largest part of its budgets goes to the salaries and benefits of union employees. Granting generous contracts filled with high pay, copious amounts of vacation and sick time, and generous health and retirement contributions to those union employees has long been considered a sure and simple way to garner votes for these elected officials. Those currently in office instead find themselves in the unenviable position of requesting concessions from these long-time union supporters or tax relief from voters. Either could take out their frustration at the next election.

Elected officials in school districts aren’t immune from the effects of a union label. Once considered a sure path to victory in a springboard to higher office, they now appear to walk a tightrope.

Toledo is again a classic example of the dangers involved for those having to walk this path as they deal with their own projected $30 million deficit. Supporters in the Toledo Federation of Teachers explain that their members are making less than many of those in other Ohio urban school districts. Voters however, are quick to respond that teacher’s typical $53,000 per year salary is far above the median income of those funding those salaries (especially for a job which requires working 9 months per year). These elected officials therefore find themselves in the dubious position of requesting concessions and risking support of these unions, or supporting continuation of such agreements and risking the support of those who must approve tax increases to cover this deficit and re-elect them to this or higher office.

Things were different back in 1975 when this tune was written though. The Viet Nam War had ended that April with the fall of Saigon, the US automobile industry was dominant both in America and the world marketplace, and the US dollar was the standard by which all other currencies were measured. And of course, Richard Nixon had been shamed into resigning from office in August of the prior year. So perhaps it was easier back then for elected officials to wear the union label than that of a politician.

Columnist Tim Higgins blogs at http://justblowingsmoke.blogspot.com/.

The March 14 episode of “The Simpsons” took a bemused shot at the newspaper industry. In a “world of tomorrow” type film that purported to show how life would look in an imagined era of flying cars and robot assistance, a family patriarch is shown in his easy chair, unfolding a newspaper.
“Just one of six editions printed every day!” the narrator enthused, as Dad marveled at the information. “Want to know what happened in China yesterday? Just pick up a newspaper!”
The joke, of course, is that when it comes to knowing what is happening in China this very minute, much less yesterday, daily newspapers have long ago lost the information race.
On the heels of this jab, a study in the Project for Excellence in Journalism’s annual report determined — are you sitting down? — that “getting people to pay for news online would be like trying to force butterflies back into their cocoons.”
The study estimated six in 10 Americans read at least some news online every day. On average, each person spends three minutes and four seconds per visit to a news site. About a third of online readers have a favorite Web source they look at every day.
So far, so good. But only 19 percent are willing to pay for news online and 82 percent of those with preferred news sites said if their Web site of choice started charging for content, they would find news elsewhere.
All of this reinforces the obvious: The old paid delivery model is dead and the new free digital model isn’t paying, causing a business rift of historic proportions and forever altering the news business. Free is the foundation upon which scores of local community newspapers— including Toledo Free Press — are built: delivering information to readers at no charge, with the onus of profitability on the publisher, not the reader.
The study also expresses concerns about the dwindling resources being applied to news gathering, and that is an important point for anyone who cares about the machinations of human life, society and politics. While there are strong and urgent cases to be made about the quality of journalism smaller papers can produce, the real concern may be more about the drop-off in the quantity of news coming from traditional sources. Smaller news sources are more selective about the news-gathering process. Is there a danger that many news stories will fall between the cracks, or will other outlets rise to fill those slots?
Trying to answer these questions is like speculating about the “world of tomorrow.” We can speculate and guess, but in the end, only time and the marketplace will decide.

Thomas F. Pounds is president and publisher of Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star. E-mail him at tpounds@toledofreepress.com.

I am a Blackberry addict. It is pretty much my favorite thing. If I were Linus from Peanuts, my Blackberry would be my blanket. It never leaves my side, and I feel naked without it. (Sorry for putting that image in your head.)

One of my favorite things to do is to comb through Blackberry App World. Not for new applications for my own phone — I look for entertainment value, in search of those apps that seem to serve no purpose but to inspire sarcastic laughter. They’re real. They’re pointless. And they go a little something…like this.

2012 Doomsday Countdown?Developer: CTWebStudio – Cost: $2.99?? I don’t want to ruin your day, but the world’s going to end in about three years. For real. The Mayans predicted it. Well, okay, no, they didn’t. Their calendar just finishes on that day. And somehow, that means the world’s gonna end. Because the Mayans knew something we don’t. ‘Cuz they were in touch with nature and stuff, man.

But let’s say you actually buy that the end of civilization is coming on December 21, 2012. Clearly, you will need a constant reminder of how soon your life will be ended by whatever calamity will be coming. Thankfully, CTWebStudio is there to fill this void for Blackberry users with the 2012 Doomsday Countdown app. Quoting the description:

“This entertaining application will quickly launch a countdown showing how far off the end is! It is updated by the second, and counts seconds, minutes, hours and days to the end!”

The thing is, a Blackberry already has a clock. It’s right there on the main screen. Doomsayers can just watch that clock slowly tick away and get the same effect. Besides, is there any scenario where knowing EXACTLY how long until the Mayan calendar ends is necessary? “Gee, Bob, I just don’t know if I have time to read that book. How long until the world ends, again?”

Coin Flipper Deluxe

Developer: MForma Europe Limited – Cost: $4.99

Let’s say you find yourself in a situation where there are too many options to choose from — like, two. You say to yourself, “Darn it! If only there was some way to randomly choose!” Well, my friend, hope is on the way! See, there are these things called “coins,” and usually, they have two different sides. Toss one in the air, and it gives you a random chance of landing on one side or the other.

But who wants to go through all that trouble when there’s an app? Yes, MForma Europe Limited provides users with this amazing program which simulates tossing a coin, right on your phone! Quoting the (grammatically-challenged) description:

“Have you ever flipped a coin in a situation when you couldn’t decide? If yes then the game coin flipper is designed exactly for you. It will solve even the most intricate life situations for you. You can select among six different coins of real countries and one lucky coin. So don’t let the others to take the decisions instead of you, flip a coin.”

Yes, “the most intricate life situations” will be solved for the low, low cost of $4.99. Wait. $4.99? Do you know how many ACTUAL coins you could get for that? Like, almost 500! You can keep a big jar of them by your side at all times for flipping purposes, and still come out ahead on cash. Even Two-Face wouldn’t download this one.

WikiMobile

Developer: Bonfire Media Inc – Cost: $9.99?? For those of you who live under a low-tech rock, Wikipedia is this site that has detailed articles on almost everything. Anyone can edit it, which is great except for the fact that ANYONE can edit it. Using a Wiki for research is kinda like borrowing a book from the library only to find out someone else has taken white-out to half of it.

Still, there is a lot of useful information on Wikipedia, and thankfully, now Blackberry owners can access it using this app from Bonfire Media Inc. From the description:

“Carry Wikipedia wherever you go, and you’ll never be stumped again!…With WikiMobile, you gain access to all 2 million Wikipedia articles, including pictures and quick facts.”

Hey, do you have a Blackberry? Look at the main screen. See that globe-shaped icon? That’s the Internet Browser. Do you know how many Wikipedia entries you can access using that browser? All of them. Just go to Google, type in what you’re looking for and add “Wiki.” There you go. I’ve just saved you ten bucks. You’re welcome. Now, leave me alone. The world’s ending and I need to flip a coin.

E-mail Jeff at PopGoesJeff@gmail.com.

There was a time when Daylight Savings time was an inconvenience. This biannual changing-of-the-clocks has grown progressively less annoying over the years as more clocks automatically adjust themselves to the correct time.

With smart phones replacing wristwatches and computers replacing wall clocks, our timekeeping devices are getting smarter. In our vehicles our satellite radios, GPS devices, and OnStar units have become like grown children, finally able to take care of themselves. Even the clock on my nightstand somehow synced with the giant universal timepiece in the sky.

Love it or hate it, technology is integrating all of the little details in our lives. This integration is happening with or without our permission.

While many people are not talking about how impressed they are with the automatic Daylight Savings adjustments taking place on their preferred timepieces, people are talking about social media and deciding how it is going to fit into their business.

Yes, social media is the elephant in the room for many businesses. Just last week Facebook overtook Google as the most visited website in the United States. Should we do something with Facebook? What about Twitter, LinkedIn, or YouTube?

Hold your opinion about social media for just a moment; let’s take a look back fifteen years. In 1995, corporate websites were not “new,” but this was the year that businesses started to stand up and admit that, yes, they needed to get “on the internet.”

Back in 1995, getting “on the internet” amounted to throwing up an electronic equivalent of a brochure and calling it a website. Companies did not know where this internet thing was going, but we all accepted the fact that websites were here to stay.

Now, fifteen years later, a company cannot survive without a thoughtfully implemented website. Websites, and other technologies, have leveled the playing field. Companies now compete for market share based on their ability to connect with clients and provide salable value.

Technology has changed how we consumers get our information, make our decisions, and spend our money. Therefore, the business that focuses on innovation, performance, and service will earn the sale.

Social media is here to stay. Let’s learn from 1995 and not just “get a Facebook page,” and go about business as usual. Yes, we need to do more than to just Tweet about how great our products are and expect our sales to soar.

Being present in a medium is not enough; consumers are not idiots. Websites, Facebook pages, tweets, blogs, and forums are not like a box of brochures you order from the printer. These integrated mediums are tools that help you conduct good, old-fashioned business.

No matter what changes, consumers still have needs. No matter what changes, you still have salable solutions to fill these needs. Integrated media is best viewed as simply a conduit of communication. Therefore, to use these tools effectively you must view them as a means to connect with your public.

Start by having a clear objective for all of your corporate communications. Whether it is your boots-on-the-ground salespeople, your customer service representatives, your website, or your social media outlets, everything needs to be tied together – completely integrated with one objective. What are you trying to do? What are you trying to communicate through these technologically advanced conduits?

With a clear picture in mind, everything falls into place. Like my clocks automatically adjusting for Daylight Savings Time, your corporate messaging will just fall into place. Instead of having to go around and manually adjust each clock, each with its own quirky time setting requirements, your mediums will just sync with your one unifying theme.

Having this integrated corporate clarity will allow your customers to connect with you; it will allow you to shift your focus back to innovation, performance, and service – the truly important parts of your business.

For a list of objectives to help you plan your strategy go to www.boltfromtheblue.com and enter the keyword CONDUIT in the blue print box.

We were a few minutes late. Our effort to arrive even close to on time seemed to be all for naught anyway, as the door to our destination stood closed and cloaked in darkness. Popping it open just to make sure of its nothingness, however, revealed quite the contrary. The cracked portal exposed a whole other world, a darkened yet electric world of sweaty, loud, thumping mayhem.

I hadn’t experienced such a scene since my teenage rave days. Thinking back to the techno beat, the flashing lights, the energy drinks, the semi-controlled chaos – it was almost magical. I was timid and scared, yet somewhat intrigued, to uncover something so similar in the grown-up world: spinning class.

I was a bit taken aback by the intensity of what sat beyond the door. I hadn’t been sure what to expect, but what I peeked in on was not quite among my long list of possible scenarios. I had heard it could be exciting. I had heard it could be grueling. I had heard it could be the most wonderful way to spend 45 minutes, or the worst. Yet, even such summaries of the experience could not prepare me for the reality of it.

I’m not, shall I say, an exerciser. I love to play sports – give me a physical opportunity that comes with mentally-challenging strategy and I’m there. However, to me, stationary movement with no certain goal has a certain amount of ridiculousness to it. I find the modernized, calculated version of physical exercise to be an oddity that would have been laughed out the door by generations past.

I know, I know. There’s the whole push yourself to your limits, no pain, no gain, yada, yada, yada. That sort of mentality is completely lost on me. I don’t get it. There is just no adrenaline junkie within me yearning to get out.

That being said, I am very much interested in living a long and healthy. That, combined with a little peer pressure from my friends and a mild desire to lose at least a few pounds of the baby number three weight, convinced me to at least give spinning a try. The intense nature of the beast that presented itself, along with the fact that my friends and I ended up being turned away at the door for tardiness, led me to believe that I had been led astray, however.

I will admit that I was relieved to be left out in the cold hallway that first day of class and instead ended up chatting with my friends while pedaling at my own pace a few doors down in the open gym area. Such a relaxed and stress-free approach to exercise seemed like a much better option to me and well worth losing $16 over. Unfortunately, not everyone agreed with my laissez-faire attitude toward exercise.

By the following week I was once again suckered in, I mean gently encouraged, to give spinning another whirl. What I couldn’t tell from my peephole exposure to the first week’s class was that, once inside, the room felt more like an exercise sweatshop than the electric paradise of the mid-1990s rave scene. Considering my tendency toward claustrophobia, having my feet strapped down to an immobile piece of machinery in a small, dark, cement-block room was terrifying at best. Add in the fact that my nasal passages seem to somehow drain profusely and completely close up at the same time when faced with such physical exertion, the whole experience seemed to be more a recipe for panic than a recipe for good health.

I persevered, however. I followed along, I did my best to keep up, I believed in myself and my ability to push through and make it to the end. When I peeked at the clock and realized that it had only been eight minutes, though, I kind of felt like I may fit better into the “spinning isn’t for everyone” crowd.

Whether or not I will give it one more try remains to be seen. However, I’m thinking there may be a yoga mat in my future.

Shannon and her husband Michael are raising three children in Sylvania. E-mail her at letters@toledofreepress.com.

A shimmering vision of elegance, Natalie Daradich will float onto the Stranahan Theater stage as Glinda the Good when “Wicked” opens its three-week run March 31.
“It’s such a music theater gem to pop down in a bubble and it’s a great entrance to a show,” she said. “I really love singing the opening [‘No One Mourns the Wicked’]. I’m a soprano and that’s where I live; I love to sing all the high stuff.”
The musical has been defying gravity since opening in San Francisco and moving to Broadway in 2003. The Tony Award-winning show continues to set box office records, with eight productions of “Wicked” worldwide, including two North American tours and a New York production in the Gershwin Theatre.
Stephen Schwartz penned the music and lyrics for the show, which is based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 book, “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.” That novel was inspired by L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” published in 1900 and immortalized on celluloid in 1939.
“My mom actually laughs about this. We would rent movies from the public library near our house, and I would ask for ‘The Wizard of Oz’ pretty much every week,” Daradich said. “I didn’t want to give it back. I loved Dorothy and, actually, it’s funny, I loved Glinda and her bubble. I, as a little girl, really liked big dresses, sparkles, and they said I loved pink, so in the movie, she comes down in her pink bubble with the big pink dress and I just loved her.”

Natalie Daradich

Daradich sounded exuberant, just as one would expect from an actress playing Glinda, when she took a break from rehearsing in Dayton, Ohio, for a phone interview.
“Everyone likes to say [‘Wicked’ is] a prequel to the movie, but it’s not; it’s sort of just looking at ‘The Wizard of Oz’ from another way,” the actress said.
“I think that because the movie is so well-known and such a liked story … when certain things happen to tie itself in, it’s sort of like the audience feels like they’re in on it, so they feel like they’re part of something that they already know and love.”
Starring in “Wicked” with Daradich will be Marcie Dodd as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West.
“It’s just so exciting to see what you think you know is not what you know, and it’s kind of nice to sort of break all those preconceived notions of that evil green lady who cackles,” Daradich said. “And it’s so endearing to meet [Elphaba] when she was going to school and finding friendship, and on top of all of that, there’s great music and then there’s magic, and the costumes are amazing — it’s sort of like a spectacle with a really great story. It’s so beautiful. I loved the show the first time I saw it.”
That was in 2005 when the first national tour stopped in her hometown.
“I saw the show in Toronto and ever since then I was like: I need to be in this show. So I’m as much of a ‘Wicked’ fan as the fans are,” she said and laughed.
She joined the L.A. production of the musical in 2007. Daradich was a “swing,” covering the female ensemble and filling in if someone was sick or taking the stage for an actress. She soon had her own ensemble track and understudied Nessarose, Elphaba’s sister, and Glinda.
“When I moved to the end of I think my L.A. run, in San Francisco, I was Glinda’s standby, so then you’re no longer in the show every night, and you just wait backstage to cover Glinda if she’s sick or has an accident onstage. So it’s actually been an amazing, interesting journey to go from piece to piece to piece to piece,” she said.
“I definitely wouldn’t be with anything this long if I didn’t love it,” added Daradich, who took over the Glinda role in the touring company March 10.
She can’t wait to perform in the Glass City.
“Toledo’s going to be a fun one for me because it’s the closest to home for my family,” Daradich said. “My sister’s going to pile everyone in the car, and they’re going to drive down and see [‘Wicked’]. I’m so excited.”
She’s also happy to be part of an empowering tale.
“It’s just such a beautiful story of friendship,” she said. “There’s the romantic side and there’s the side stories, but at the end of the day it’s about two women who are friends and develop a relationship together and make each other better people.”

‘Wicked’ impact goes beyond ticket sales

It seems “Wicked” ads have been beckoning for months, teasing Toledoans with the chance to spend one short day in the Emerald City and see the wizard.
There are still some tickets left for the musical, which will be at Stranahan Theater from March 31 through April 18.
“For the entire run, which runs 24 performances, about 85 percent of the tickets have been sold,” said Ward Whiting, executive director of Stranahan Theater and Great Hall. “The Saturdays are virtually sold completely. There are probably four or five shows at least that are totally sold-out.
“The tickets that are left, the best ones are probably going to be during the week, the Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday tickets, and those are running $73 and $83.”
Whiting saw “Wicked” in Chicago in 2007.
“It’s a dynamite show. It’s very, very visual, extremely lovely to see; there’re all sorts of fantastic costumes as you might expect when dealing with ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ ” he said. “It basically picks up on the book that was written about what happened among the witches before Dorothy came.
“Every year at Easter and several times during the year, the old movie, the original ‘Wizard of Oz’ is played; generations have been seeing this since the ’30s, so this has become almost a household word in America. So to pick up on the same theme is very easy and visually very appealing.”
Another bonus: Jobs.
“The show itself will have local people earning wages to set up, run and tear down the show,” Whiting said. “There will be 31 people who will be engaged during each performance, local population, there’ll be 135 when they load it out, and 70 when they bring it into the theater.”
“Wicked” can be seen Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Matinees will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Tickets range from $38 to $128. Recommended age for children is 8 and older.
“I would say don’t sit too close to the stage because there are some things that come right out at you. This is the ultimate in 3-D; it is real 3-D,” Whiting said and laughed.

Last week the New York Times released an article titled Mexico Oil Politics Keeps Riches Just Out of Reach (Krauss and Malkin, March 8, 2010). To the casual reader, this commentary on the oil industry in Mexico would seem to hint that oil is running out for our neighbor to the south, and the world will soon need to find a way to replace the oil that will no longer be flowing out of that region.

The facts of the matter are, fortunately for us, not nearly so bleak. This is simply another case of a major media outlet misleading its [undeserved] audience.

Before getting into the investment industry, my father (“Dock1”) spent several years in the oil industry. He often tells the story of a conference he attended in the 1970s, where he heard a well-known and respected geologist speak.

The story goes that this geologist stood up and told the audience that when we began his studies in geology at college, the very first day his professor told the entire class that they were all fools for entering what was clearly a dying industry. At that time, in the 1930s, this professor told his class that there was only enough oil left in the world for the next 7 to 10 years, and after that they would all be out of a job.

This speaker went on to say that, after college (he obviously failed to heed his professor’s advice) he himself attended a conference in the 1950s, where the keynote speaker warned that there was only enough oil left in the world for the next 7 to 10 years.

Now, in the 1970s, as my Dad sat and listened to a speaker who had been warned twice, in both the ‘30s and the ‘50s, that the world’s supply of oil was running out. This speaker went on to tell the audience that, by his calculations, there was only enough oil left to last for the next 7 to 10 years. Moreover, he added that sometime in the 2000s, geologists would still certainly be warning that there was only enough oil for another 7 to 10 years.

The point to this exceedingly long anecdote is this: Friends, the world is NOT running out of oil. Thankfully, only three things are required to produce oil: hydrocarbons from dead matter, heat, and pressure; three things which the Earth certainly does not lack, or will in the near future.

Moreover, advances in modern technology continue to allow drilling companies to reach oil deposits that could never before be utilized. In fact, many wells that were previously thought to be dry are now being reopened with new equipment.

In Mexico, however, drilling technology hasn’t kept up. The reason is surprisingly simple (for capitalists, at least): In the late 1930s the oil drilling industry was nationalized in Mexico by then-President Lazaro Cardenas. If there is one thing we can count on, it’s that government doesn’t do anything as well as private sector. Can we believe healthcare will be any different?

The oil industry aside, it is infinitely important that people take a step back and examine the media industry. For example, most major media outlets continue to report that the economy is in a very weak, fragile state, and could collapse at any time. This, friends, is hardly the case.

Readers need to understand that the communications industry has been one of the hardest hit sectors in this recession. Most media outlets have gone through – and are continuing to see – rounds of layoffs. The New York Times, in fact, recently announced that it is laying off nearly 10% of its remaining newsroom staff.

The real question is how can we as an audience can expect someone who works in such an environment to be optimistic about the economy. Do you think you’d be optimistic if you were in constant fear of losing YOUR job?

Remember that the media, like manufacturing or, yes, oil production, is a business, and it exists within the larger scheme of an economy. As such, it is nearly impossible for the media to present a completely objective perspective on any event or circumstance, despite all its attempts to do so. The best we can hope for is an accurate presentation of the facts; what we do with those facts is totally up to us.

Dock David Treece is a stockbroker licensed with FINRA. He works for Treece Financial Services Corp (www.TreeceInvestments.com) and also serves as editor of the financial news site Green Faucet (www.GreenFaucet.com) and as a business commentator for Toledo Free Press. The above information is the express opinion of Dock David Treece and should not be construed as investment advice or used without outside verification.