"UFC owners by rival" I suspect they mean "buy"
"2,000 jobs at a meat processing plant." Isn't it only 1,000 jobs?
"Monday’s warmth went to an official 79 degrees, just 4 degrees short of the record of 84 degrees set in 1991." Isn't 84-79... 5 degrees difference?
"Oylmpic Steel ready to expand" Olympic, anyone? They got it right in the rest of the article.
So yeah, sometimes I have issues with the QCTimes. Hopefully its just the online edition, but still, its a professional newspaper. Maybe they could pay me $5 per typo I find while reading the news on my cell phone at work.
On the other hand, I've been really enjoying this series on nonprofits in the QC area that they're currently doing. I especially like today's article about the QC Symphony Orchestra. Its neat to think about the Quad Cities having one of the 20 oldest symphonies in the country, as the article points out. I'm sure if we tried to start one now, the negative commenters around the internet would mock it as a waste of money.
Here's something else I found interesting:
Park trends: fake boulders for climbers -QCOnline
Despite the cost, which seems high at first for simulated boulders, I think this is a great idea. I know as a kid I always loved to climb on rocks at places like Wildcat Den, or Maquoketa Caves. None of those rocks had relatively soft mulch underneath them either. I could definitely seem something like this in the "new" LeClaire Park. They look like they're just boulders, so it would be a playground without having the look of a playground. I can just imagine how popular they'd be during the Riverfront Pops concert.
Also, I visited the skatepark yesterday, and yes there is some graffiti. It didn't appear to be gang graffiti, or offensive, but its still vandalism. I have previously mentioned that I could see allowing non-obscene, non-gang graffiti inside the skatepark bowl, but it would definitely send mixed messages to allow it some places and keep it illegal everywhere else. That said, I don't know what the solution is. I suppose when (or if) they build the bathroom/concession pavilion, they will add security cameras. Hopefully that will stop the problem.
10 comments:
Yeah, the QCT typos drive me batty some days. But then again I read my old posts sometimes and realize I typed so fast I messed up "your, you're" or "there and their", some of my pet peeves. Still, QCT is a professional org.
In the print edition, they included a few comments from people they surveyed online about the symphony (have you been? would you go back? etc.). Some idiot said we should try to stop trying to get things that Des Moines has. It's wrong on a few different levels. I'm willing to bet that if ours is the 20th oldest symphony in the USA, that we had one before Des Moines did. Why print such a blatantly ignorant comment like that?
Ya know, these folks that spray paint the backs of garages and such are good at what they do. Very talented. What would you think of giving them a place to display their talent, maybe a wall somewhere out of the way that can be easily covered each week. They do this stuff in Chicago and the other big cities.
I could definitely seem something like this in the "new" LeClaire Park.
Seem? Yeah QCI, don't ya just hate typos. Get a life dude!
Hey, I didn't try and charge you 50 cents to read it though. I'm no professional journalist, or even writer.
Also, I don't know if I've ever seen "good" graffiti on garages. It always seems to be the quickly scribbled gang signs. The only place I see the really artistic stuff around here is on railroad cars.
I know I wouldn't mind if the skatepark was covered in that stuff, but I would suspect that a TON of people would. Also, anyone know how we could possibly train the kids/artists that its only ok there?
Remember, if your not part of the solution, your part of the problem. Giving them a new place to spray was only a thought to grow on. Take a breath.
Oddly, in Germany, all art is protected. The property owner would have to prove that the art somehow damaged their property's value. So good grafiti art can, and does in some cases, go almost anywhere.
As to the Symphony, this area has a history of great support for classical performing arts. Unfortunately, it is beginning to wane. Primarily because the Quad Cities are missing a whole generation. Those born in the 70s and 80s left in droves. Only, slowly are we recovering. Also, as the article points out, the 80s were years of art cuts in school funding.
I discuss some of this on my blog, and will probably blog some more on this.
Anyway, it'd be cool to put a free art area around the skatepark, where any artist could put a sculpture or develop interactive sculpture/artwork. Including an open invitation to decorate the skatepark as one pleases.
Add a permanant open mic too, while you're at it. Any band, or musician, comedian, theater group or some such could get time at the bandshell or at a new, smaller venue at the skatepark.
Free art for the people!
That'd be cool. That would bring people and maybe put Davenport on the map!
The symphony article also mentioned that they are considering touring surrounding cities again. This seems like a win/win situation for me. If it gets them any income, or even expands their market/audience for their QC concerts, that's great. It also has the benefit of giving Davenport good PR as far as being a progressive, cultural city.
To think that one could bring their garage band down and play to the people is a cool idea. Open mic night on a Friday evenings. Make it free to attend and not try to squeeze a buck from those who visit would be like a blast from the past.
Post a Comment