^sorry...I totally missed it....I ended up getting a 6 out of 11  :|

5 out of 11 for me, with a few lucky guesses.  :-(

Lily Pad bringing free wi-fi to Fountain Square

Cincinnati Business Courier - 3:04 PM EDT Friday

 

The newly renovated Fountain Square will have free wireless Internet access, thanks to Project Lily Pad and two downtown businesses.

 

The nonprofit Lily Pad, an initiative of Give Back Cincinnati, said U.S. Bank (NYSE: USB) and KPMG LLP, have committed to sponsoring the the Fountain Square service for three years.

 

"We are pleased to participate in the enrichment of Fountain Square because we place tremendous value on the enhancement of downtown Cincinnati and believe Lily Pad is a beneficial resource for the community," said Rick Siebert, managing partner for KPMG's local office.

 

http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2006/10/09/daily56.html

Soba noodles and salads to go coming to Westin

Cincinnati Business Courier - 11:01 AM EDT Friday

 

Ingredients, the casual dining spot that is bringing gourmet sandwiches, pizzas, breakfast and gelato to the Westin Cincinnati, will hold its grand opening Oct. 16.

 

The upscale fast-casual concept will occupy the street level of the hotel's Fifth Street atrium in July, looking across from Fountain Square, which is finishing the first phase of a $42.7 million renovation. And it is expected to draw from the square -- the location is visible from the sidewalk and intended to attract office workers as much as hotel guests.

 

http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2006/10/09/daily49.html

Lively, wild promised for Fountain Square celebration

Nothing stuffy allowed today as city's heart pumps again

BY JON NEWBERRY | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

 

Video, The History of Fountain Square:  http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061013/VIDEO05/61013011

 

Expect the unexpected, but be ready to be surprised.

 

Today's reopening celebration for the $43 million renovation of Fountain Square begins at noon and concludes with a 10 p.m. Rozzi's fireworks display. While organizers say everything is on schedule for the opening, it's safe to say that not everything will take place according to schedule.

 

Bill Donabedian, managing director of Fountain Square, is promising a ritual unveiling of the Genius of Water and programming on the giant video screen atop Macy's as well as numerous surprises.

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061014/NEWS01/610140432

Bootsy Collins is swiftly becoming Mr. Cincinnati...which is fantastic!

 

Bootsy Collins is swiftly becoming Mr. Cincinnati...which is fantastic!

 

 

I've noticed that too. Bring in the Funk Master.

So...?

Square reopens with flourish

BY JENNIFER MROZOWSKI | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

 

Hundreds of people came to Fountain Square on Saturday to greet Cincinnati's First Lady, who has been on a vacation of sorts for the past two years, while her home at the historic square received a $43 million makeover.

 

Residents from Mount Airy, Northside, Covington and other Greater Cincinnati neighborhoods stood shoulder to shoulder in the brisk October air to watch the relocated Tyler Davidson fountain flow again. Many of them said they wanted to be part of the celebration surrounding the reopening of the square.

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061015/NEWS01/610150367

Sounds like a disappointing turn out.  I heard that they were expecting 40,000.  They got about 500 to 600.  The key to all of this is relevance.  How relevant is this to people outside of the City?  How often will they use it?  How does it enhance and interact with their life?  I think it is a great start.  The draw will be in the future once everything is open.  I am looking forward to that.  Everyone who pays taxes in the City should have been at the opening.  I don't know what more could have been done to bring people down yesterday.

Sounds like a disappointing turn out.  I heard that they were expecting 40,000.  They got about 500 to 600.  The key to all of this is relevance.  How relevant is this to people outside of the City?  How often will they use it?  How does it enhance and interact with their life?  I think it is a great start.  The draw will be in the future once everything is open.  I am looking forward to that.  Everyone who pays taxes in the City should have been at the opening.  I don't know what more could have been done to bring people down yesterday.

 

Are you referring to the entire opening ceremony, or just the bands that played at night?

It wasnt marketed well enough! Barely anyone knew about it. I went later that night and saw Ok, Go. Great show.

Did anyone else see the jackass with the giant push broom?

I went down to the square earlier for the first time. There is potential but I really don't like the wasted space over by the 5th3rd tower.  landscaping at ground level is not a good idea for when the square is filled with people. My dog enjoyed peeing in the fresh mulch though. Why was the screen turned off? Did it break already? I give it a 7 out of 10 for my first impression.

push broom guy was cleaning up somebody's puke.

No he wasn't! That's the thing. That's what everyone thought he was doing. He did it to be able to get to the front. THen security took his broom and after the show he went back stage and yelled at them saying that he wants his broom back and the band was like here, here's a broom (they handed him one that looked similar). He said security back there was really lax. He went back there without a vip pass or anything and no one cared. He was telling me all about it at the bus stop.

The planting at ground level is where the trees will eventually go in 2 weeks. They didn't want to leave holes in the ground for people to trip in for the opening. Plus, pretty plants look much better. The "TV" or LED board was on all day. They actually turned the OSU game on at one point during the afternoon. The definition was ground, and the sound throughout the square was pretty awesome. I know they have a ways to go still, but what a great start. It will look completely different when the trees are in in 2 weeks, and when the rest is finally complete. Did anyone else notice those huge light masts for theatrical lighting? Those were pretty sweet and will give the programming many options I would think. By the way, that fountain at night is absolutely beautiful. I agree on the point the it wasn't promoted very well. They had tons of news coverage, but not alot of actual promotion and advertising. All in all, a great begining.

 

 

By the way, can someone tell me how to post images on this site? I took a bunch that day that I'd like to post. Thanx

By the way, can someone tell me how to post images on this site? I took a bunch that day that I'd like to post. Thanx

 

Refer to this thread on posting pictures: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=3838.0

 

Hope this helps!

There was even a moment of shock when poet Nikki Giovanni read her original poem called "I Am Cincinnati" that included profanity-laced criticism of Ohio Secretary of State and gubernatorial candidate Ken Blackwell.

 

You do the damn thing!

It wasnt marketed well enough! Barely anyone knew about it. I went later that night and saw Ok, Go. Great show.

 

I definitely didn't know about it.  At all.

They should have held off the opening and waited until it was done instead of doing it half assed. 

Probably true SSS but I don't think the opening has any realy impact on how the square will help downtown in the long-run.  The "opening ceremony is a one day event and the revitalization is supposed to help downtown over several years. 

I think overall, b/w the remaining construction plans, planned retail/restaurants and the daily entertainment/tv screen options, they are doing about all you can ask to rejuvinate the area.

The rededication ceremony was ok, but I'm not surprised more folks weren't there. Bootsy Collins, whatever his other merits, and there are many, is just not well-suited to being an m.c.

 

The poem by Nikki Giovanni was terrible, regardless of the bit about Ken Blackwell or black guys getting shot in the back by cops. It sounded like a 5th grader wrote it, or that she tossed it off in about five minutes right before taking the stage. In fact, I would have thought the latter if excerpts weren't published on the back of the program.

 

My main beef with the square itself (besides, you know, it not being done) is the material and design of the square surface. I don't care for the striations produced by the granite tiles. Seems like the wide bands that run north-south just abrubtly terminate in spots, and some sections on the periphery have different colored material for seemingly no reason -- near where the trees will go and just north east of the fountain. Maybe it'll look better when it all comes together -- doesn't really cohere as it stands. I'd have prefered the lighter colors represented in the renderings as well rather than the drab dark gray of previous square. Looks like it's gonna be a skater's paradise.

 

Those quibbles aside, it looks good so far. Looking forward to the final product.

I didn't go...

 

I have been on the road for 3 out of the last 4 weeks and enjoyed staying home for the most part of the weekend.  I would have made an effort to go if this was a real grand opening but the square isn't done and I didn't want to be disappointed.  None of the restaurants are open yet and the cladding and market for the parking garage haven't even started yet.  The trees haven't even been planted.

 

Part of me regrets not going since it was my photo that was used on all the posters around downtown but in the end I didn't.  Over all I am optimistic about the square but impatient as well.

The poem by Nikki Giovanni was terrible,

 

I totally agree.  I don't care what your political affilation is, I think it was just tacky to call Ken Blackwell, or Bob Taft, or Bill Clinton, or whoever a son of a bitch at the rededication of a civic landmark.  It's totally the wrong event.  To me it's like a best man giving a toast at a wedding and doing the same thing - absolultly no class

I was there, and you should have heard the crowd - it was silenced. The stunt was totally without class and extremely disrespectful. It was supposed to be a day of celebration and happiness for our city and I truly feel that she sh_t on it. Classless and without tact.

 

I'm glad they opened it early. At least people can walk on that side of the street again and use it somewhat. If they wait until the restaurants are in, the square won't be open until at least next summer. Trees come in 2 weeks, and the ice rink will be 2 weeks after that. That will be fun.

 

As for the granite, the bands don't just stop, but the construction did. They ran out of time and so they had to put stone down it seems. Did you also notice that the stairs to the west abruptly end in mulch? It's not supposed to do that, but again they ran out of time. That's where the trees go, and more granite. It will come together and be beautiful in time.

I agree, it probably wasn't the most appropriate time to say such a thing.  But, that's the beauty of a public square.

I went down to the (waterless fountain) at lunch today, the  TV screen was on though and it looks great!

I went down to the (waterless fountain) at lunch today, the  TV screen was on though and it looks great!

 

I was wondering why its waterless.

The poem by Nikki Giovanni was terrible, regardless of the bit about Ken Blackwell or black guys getting shot in the back by cops. It sounded like a 5th grader wrote it, or that she tossed it off in about five minutes right before taking the stage. In fact, I would have thought the latter if excerpts weren't published on the back of the program.

 

What do you expect from her?  There hasn't been a decent Italian poet since Boccaccio.

 

My main beef with the square itself (besides, you know, it not being done) is the material and design of the square surface. I don't care for the striations produced by the granite tiles. Seems like the wide bands that run north-south just abrubtly terminate in spots, and some sections on the periphery have different colored material for seemingly no reason -- near where the trees will go and just north east of the fountain. Maybe it'll look better when it all comes together -- doesn't really cohere as it stands. I'd have prefered the lighter colors represented in the renderings as well rather than the drab dark gray of previous square. Looks like it's gonna be a skater's paradise.

 

I haven't seen it either, but I think they should have just kept the rough brown brick in a fantail pattern that they had on the south end of the square.  That had the virtues of hiding dirt and being completely walkable when wet (unlike that goofy stone or faux stone they used for the square at the Newport Levee Mall).  These chuckleheads at 3CDC and their corporate masters are silly.  The square is about creating a gathering space, and they would have done that best by demolishing the north building and making the whole place level.  Nobody's going to be looking at the damn ground after the dedication ceremony.

they would have done that best by demolishing the north building

 

Hum...that is an interesting idea, while I would have liked a larger, less contained square, you would have lost retail and parking, I wouldn't think 5/3 would have been keen on it either.

3CDC 'regrets' opening poem

BY JON NEWBERRY | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

Fountain Square management today expressed regret over the personal attacks and foul language included in Nikki Giovanni’s poem that she recited at the square’s reopening ceremony on Saturday.

 

Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC) had asked Giovanni, who grew up in Lincoln Heights, for something that would “deliver a positive, uplifting message about the importance of Cincinnatians reconnecting with one another,” the non-profit agency said in a statement.

 

An early draft that Giovanni – who wasn’t paid for her appearance – provided didn’t include the lines that some people at the ceremony found offensive.

 

 

Giovanni couldn’t be reached for comment this afternoon.

 

The final version of Giovanni’s poem, written for the event and entitled “I Am Cincinnati,” referred to Ken Blackwell, the Republican candidate for Ohio governor, as a “son of a bitch” and alluded to him as a “political whore,” drawing gasps and applause from onlookers. Blackwell also is a Cincinnati native.

 

The agency “is strongly committed to the principle of free speech and the belief that Fountain Square is a center of open public discourse,” it said in the statement. “However, given the nature of this family-friendly celebration focused on moving our city forward, officials think the poem’s personal attacks and foul language were completely inappropriate.”

 

3CDC, which manages the square under a long-term contract with the city, said it asked Giovanni to participate because she is a famous, talented poet who’s also from Cincinnati.

 

Bill Donabedian, Fountain Square’s managing director, said last week that Giovanni’s selection was inspired by President Bill Clinton’s 1993 inaugural at which the poet Maya Angelou read a poem.

E-mail [email protected]

 

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061016/NEWS01/310160027

At the ceremony, George Shaffer spoke and announced that 5/3 would begin renovation of the northern structure next month (November).  I don't know how firm a date that is but you can't go much further up the food chain at 5/3.

A couple of things:

 

1) Ingredients is opening.

2) Via Vite will be the Nicola's project on Fountain Square and should open in early May.  Some of you may have seen sketches on TV.  It's an Italian bistro.

3) Giovanni's poem not only sucked ass, but was also completely inappropriate.

 

 

 

3) Giovanni's poem not only sucked ass, but was also completely inappropriate.

 

It sounds like someone was desperately seeking attention.

>it probably wasn't the most appropriate time to say such a thing.  But, that's the beauty of a public square.

 

KKKumbaya '98:

 

 

 

 

Poet out of bounds

Fountain Square remarks were 'inappropriate'

BY DAN KLEPAL, LORI KURTZMAN AND JON NEWBERRY | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITERS

 

Fountain Square management Monday expressed regret over the personal attacks and foul language in the verse that poet Nikki Giovanni recited at Saturday's reopening of the square.

 

Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC) had asked the nationally recognized poet, who grew up in Lincoln Heights, for something that would "deliver a positive, uplifting message about the importance of Cincinnatians reconnecting with one another," the nonprofit agency said in a statement.

 

An early draft that Giovanni - who wasn't paid for her appearance - provided didn't include the lines that some found offensive. Giovanni couldn't be reached for comment Monday.

 

The final version of Giovanni's poem, written for the event and titled "I Am Cincinnati," referred to Ken Blackwell, the Republican candidate for Ohio governor, as a "son of a bitch" and alluded to him as a "political whore," drawing gasps and applause from onlookers.

 

The agency "is strongly committed to the principle of free speech and the belief that Fountain Square is a center of open public discourse," 3CDC said in the statement. "However, given the nature of this family-friendly celebration focused on moving our city forward, officials think the poem's personal attacks and foul language were completely inappropriate."

 

3CDC, which manages the square under a long-term contract with the city, said it asked Giovanni to participate because she is a famous, talented poet who is from Cincinnati.

 

Bill Donabedian, Fountain Square's managing director, said last week that Giovanni's selection was inspired by President Clinton's 1993 inaugural at which poet Maya Angelou read a verse she composed for the event.

 

Members of Cincinnati City Council had varying opinions about Giovanni's appearance and the public reaction.

 

Laketa Cole wondered what all the fuss was about.

 

"It's freedom of speech," she said. "I was a little caught off guard, but are we having a problem with it because the comment was negative? She made a comment about (Cincinnati Mayor) Mark Mallory, and no one is saying anything about that." Giovanni's comments about Mallory were positive.

 

David Crowley was willing to give Giovanni a lot of latitude: "I thought it (the poem) was kind of boring up until that point. Was it appropriate? Poets have great license. Nothing was really hurt or damaged."

 

Chris Bortz described it as "a very moving and impassioned cultural description of Cincinnati" with one part that was "astonishingly inappropriate."

 

Chris Monzel called the performance "crass."

 

"I was shocked, (especially) when she talked about police officers shooting black men in the back. That is revisionist, and I thought it was a cheap shot," he said.

 

The dustup over the poem comes after private nonprofit 3CDC had gone to pains to point out the square - the scene of many fights over free speech, including whether the Ku Klux Klan could put up on a cross during the holidays - would continue to be a place where people could express themselves publicly.

 

"We're not trying to censor her. We just didn't think it was all that appropriate," Steve Leeper, 3CDC's president and chief executive, said Monday.

 

Leeper said he had no reason to expect Giovanni would say what she said but that he doesn't regret having asked her to come. It's not a matter of freedom of speech, he said.

 

"Look, she has a right to say it. At the same time, we didn't think it was appropriate given the audience and the age of some of the audience" and the celebratory purpose of the occasion, he said.

 

Literary assessments weren't favorable either.

 

"Historically speaking, poems written for occasions of this sort are almost always forgotten," said Norman Finkelstein, a professor of English at Xavier University.

 

Finkelstein called Giovanni's poem a "klutzy" piece that seemed to have been dashed out in a few minutes, a poem that reached for "too many easily accessible images of Cincinnati and Cincinnati history." Giovanni might have included her reference to Blackwell to be provocative, he said - but "in doing that, whatever poetic integrity the thing had went down the tubes."

 

Giovanni "has a good deal of skill and panache in handling a certain kind of public oratory," Finkelstein said. "I don't think she's a particularly strong poet anymore."

 

James Cummins, a professor of English at the University of Cincinnati and curator of the school's Elliston Poetry Collection, agreed that the poem wasn't good - just a string of images, a catalog of facts, a bit of opinion.

 

Cummins noted, however, that "this isn't poetry that you read home alone in your chair. It's poetry spoken aloud to a crowd." He also said that while Giovanni might not be a "great poet," she is a "poet/activist" known to speak her mind - and event organizers should have expected just that.

 

"Absolutely, they knew what they were getting when they asked Nikki Giovanni," he said.

 

Readers respond

Nearly 1,500 responses, more than 250 with comments, were posted to Cincinnati.Com by Monday afternoon in response to an unscientific survey asking readers: "Was the rededication of Fountain Square the appropriate place for poet Nikki Giovanni's comments about Ohio Governor hopeful Ken Blackwell?" Giovanni, among other things, called a "political whore jumping from bed to bed to see who will stroke my knee."

 

People posting on the Web site were not asked to give their names. Many called Giovanni's reading "classless" or "inappropriate," though some said she was telling the truth and should enjoy freedom of speech. About 60 percent disapproved. A sampling of comments:

 

• Right or wrong she picked the wrong venue.

 

• Someone involved with the event should have read the poem before she read it in public. ... Very poor planning.

 

• While I tend to agree with her statement (well, at least the politics behind them), I believe that the day should have been for celebration of our city. I think it was appropriate for her to point out the difficult times in our city's history, but not to single out an individual native son for such public and political ridicule.

 

• This is not the time or place. She hurt Cincinnati's reputation as a polite, friendly place to live.

 

• Was that a "poem?" I guess Cincinnati has a very low standard for invited public speakers.

 

• This was a time for a new beginning. Once again our city shows that we cannot get it right.

 

• While what she said was completely true, that was not the appropriate time or place for them.

 

• Any public forum is an appropriate place to discuss the direction of our state. Why do people think it is appropriate to call me at home during dinner to talk about politics, but somehow a public square is now sacred?

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061017/NEWS01/610170350/1077/COL02

I kinda understand the outburst from the public about this poem, but then again, thats what our country stands for.  We are founded on the basis of free speech (within reason).  This poem did not incite a riot or a disturbance of any kind.

 

Its kind of expected that Cincinnatians would be offended by this, because Cincinnati is not used to this sort of public speech/protest.  If this same thing happended in Seattle, would anybody have cared??  My thought is that while you may not agree with the comments or with how they were presented....you should cheer the fundamentals behind this kind of speech.

The country protects free speech, no doubt - which is why she's not in jail and not fined and not sued for what she said.  Similarly, of course, the public gets to express its opinion - that the poem was silly, gratuitous, and reflective of pretty poor character to slip it in during what was billed as a family event.

 

If she had gotten up during a political event and said all of this and more, Cincinnatians would have reacted like anyone else - it's political speech.  But if Jean Schmidt had gotten up and trashed democrats, there'd have been an uproar - because it's inappropriate.  It's a city celebrating its square, it's not a political rally.

 

To my mind, the basic problem here is that Giovanni was just frickin' rude, that's all.  It's just poor behavior, nothing more.  Not worth raising a stink about - and, happily, not much stink has been raised - some folks were put off by it, and 3CDC apologized.  Seems pretty appropriate and proportional all around.

 

^Fair enough...I didn't hear the poem first hand so I wouldn't really know how it was incorporated into the poem, but I just wanted to throw my plug for free speech out there :roll:

Great news about Nicola's restaurant.  IMO his place is one of the few "true" Italian places in the city (Primavera is a bit more Italian-American; not that tht is necessarily bad). 

Great news about Nicola's restaurant.  IMO his place is one of the few "true" Italian places in the city (Primavera is a bit more Italian-American; not that tht is necessarily bad).

 

You are clearly forgetting about the truly authentic Olive Garden on Colerain Ave!!  :wink:

Lester - do you mean Prima Vista?  I definitely see what you mean about more American Italian stuff - although they have a pretty big menu, with lots of less Americanized stuff available - like the saltimboca is definitely not a Fazzoli's-type item...

 

What do you think of Germano's and Barrisi's?  Aren't those the other two big name straight-up Italian places in town?

 

Yeah, Nicola's is fantastic, my favorite restaurant in the city hands down.  That's where we are for birthdays and anniversaries and everything...

 

Sorry, I do mean Prima Vista ( I am an out of towner, mind you).  I have actually heard great things about Germano's and look forward to trying it. The menu looks good.

Prima Vista has such a dated decor to it...but man, you can't top that view.

 

Anyway, yeah, Via Vite should be fantastic...very much looking forward to it...couldn't happen to a better restauranteur either - Nicola stuck with OTR all through the riots, the recession, etc...there was about a year there where he lived off the money he made from selling Pan E Vino in Hyde Park.  We'd go in sometimes and be one of two or three tables the whole night.  He could have packed it in at any point, moved back to St. Louis, or really gone anywhere, but he stuck with Over-the-Rhine through some very tough years...

 

And now he'll have the single most premier location in the entire city...and, by the way, the name "Via Vite" is "Vine Street" in Italian...I hadn't caught that at first...such a great homage to the city...ach, I can't wait for May!

 

Its kind of expected that Cincinnatians would be offended by this, because Cincinnati is not used to this sort of public speech/protest.  If this same thing happended in Seattle, would anybody have cared??  My thought is that while you may not agree with the comments or with how they were presented....you should cheer the fundamentals behind this kind of speech.

 

Agreed.  Totally agreed.

 

The country protects free speech, no doubt - which is why she's not in jail and not fined and not sued for what she said.  Similarly, of course, the public gets to express its opinion - that the poem was silly, gratuitous, and reflective of pretty poor character to slip it in during what was billed as a family event.

 

To my mind, the basic problem here is that Giovanni was just frickin' rude, that's all.  It's just poor behavior, nothing more.  Not worth raising a stink about - and, happily, not much stink has been raised - some folks were put off by it, and 3CDC apologized.  Seems pretty appropriate and proportional all around.

 

 

While I agree it's a "family event" and such, they should've known who they were going to see before they went.  Nikki Giovanni, it comes from no surprise, is a political activist and with Coonwell and Co. running for governorship, perhaps it was her time to "shine."  I didn't hear the speech but I'm assuming it was vile, rude, and "inappropriate" but that's what she does.  That's her style.  It's like going to see Chavez in Venezuela and not expecting to hear a Bush bitchslap.  Then again, I'm sure most of those families going to see Mizz Giovanni have heard far worse on television, their own mouths, or old Grandpa Joe.

 

But back to Via Vite.  Great name for that restaurant.

^Did families go to see her? Probably not, I'm betting that a good percentage that had never heard of her, and why would they research her? They were trusting 3CDC would choose appropriate entertainment. It appears 3CDC can't be blamed either, as she slipped them in at the last moment, so ultimately the blame falls on her, lest we forget.

Hehe well it obviously offended Blackwell supporters MUCH more. I just think its a little selfish to take up time with that; I mean if everyone was given time to say what they wanted to say on the issue, there would be no time dedicated to what the event was initially meant for and only one person was able to do it(I'm assuming?--I don't know, I wasnt there that early). Some people crave that exhibition though..they need to be the political hero. Reminds me of Kanye West on the Katrina ReAct Now benefit that was literally on almost every cable station when he blatantly said "George Bush does not care about black people". Atleast that wasn't out of context though.

Reminds me of Kanye West on the Katrina ReAct Now benefit that was literally on almost every cable station when he blatantly said "George Bush does not care about black people". Atleast that wasn't out of context though.

 

That was definitely far worse...I mean, he decided, on his own accord, to alienate 40% of the potential donor base because of his need to express himself.  I thought he was truly a self-centered bastard for that.  Like taking food from the mouths of the poor, so he can self-actualize all over us.  Selfish moron.