da p.d's Litt serves up placenta as Rebirth , Brian Cashman goes gnats

Da p.d.'s architectural writer Steve Litt , once again shows his penchant for churning out advertising copy disguised as news, via his Sunday Febuary 10 , 2008 [ above the fold on the front page none the less! ] article entitled The Rebirth. Litt's delirious gushing travesty disguised as journalism concerning the expected success of the massive $200 million plus Euclid Avenue Corridor project , is indicative of the , long on graphics short on copy , variety of pharisaical hyperbole common to the printed efforts produced at 1801 Superior Avenue today. Mister Litt should sleep fit every evening secure with the knowledge of future employment in the field of writing advertising copy for either the Regional Transit Authority or Cleveland Clinic should his sad reportorial skills at da p.d. be terminated. My favorite laugh out loud part of this article are the two out of focus amatuerish before and after photographs used to illustrate the messy project on page A9. This pair of obfuscated images say it all . Not much discernable difference before or after on the " silver line". The Euclid Avenue Corridor boondoggle appears to date no more than a corporate welfare project for The Cleveland Clinic and University Circle , and the downtown corporate hotels and entertainment activities that will be served by it's riders. Rebirth occurs sometime after a project is completed . Let us then examine this project then with resolute scrutiny. After it's completion and with a cold calculating approach to actual losses and gains , not the lamentable posturing of a for hire civic cheerleader disguised as a reporter............Spring has arrived in Florida's Everglades region , moving northward at a fifteen mile per day clip. Baseball's spring training is just around the corner. No better way to celebrate the approaching season than to savor again the Cleveland American League Teams 2007 brighest moment .A snipe at our most hated baseball rivals from the Bronx. The New York American League baseball franchises general manager Brian Cashman was quoted recently in the New York Times sports pages on Febuary 1 , 2008 in an article by Tyler Kepner . Cashman said " his team was not mentally tough enough to withstand the bug swarm in Cleveland in last fall's division series." Who would have guessed that the once mighty , now flighty NYAL team is still looking for an excuse for their post season failure against our Cleveland American League team ? I would! Blame it on the bugs? Hardly! NYAL pitcher Joba Chamberlain choked mightly tossing two wild pitches in the critical third game Cashman refers to , and the NYAL team batting average after game three was a meger .121. Cashman's efforts as NYAL general manager are laudable , and the teams successfull record speak for itself . Always in contention is the operative goal and NYAL baseball standard. Having to work under the likes of owner George Steinbrenner , and now Steinbrenner's boys Hank and Hal would be enough to give any GM a case of major league willies. Though I must admit to being suprised that a class act like Cashman would resort to such a humiliating description of his teams " not mentally tough" post season play , versus the lack of hits and runs that comprise the games bottom line and box scores. Gnats aside , the Cleveland AL team outplayed the NYAL team . The Cleveland choke against Boston that followed in the AL Championship series , made the victory over the NYAL team for the Division championship the high water mark of Cleveland sports in 2007. As always , anytime that a Cleveland sports team defeats a New York team post season is time to celebrate. It is such ruminations concerning this buggy event that help keep the hot sove burning offseason , and a warm place in our collective Cleveland baseball hearts...... Now for the real hot stove. Culinary moment in time. Simple is best!Baked brisket of beef is a winter favorite , and remember simple is best. Purchase a three to four pound beef brisket placing it in a covered glass baking dish and marinate it with a cup of red wine , a shot of soy sauce , splash of worchestire sauce , some garlic and onion powder , and an assortment of ground white and black pepper. Place the brisket in your refrigerator and turning it over on the half hour for four or five hours , thus coating the brisket. Chop a half of dozen small onions into rounds and cover the bottom of a roasting pan. Add to this a healthy squirt of tomato paste , and the contents of a 12 ounce Boylan soda of your choice. The Boylan cola is the most traditional , though if you are into exotics let your mind roll on. [ It is important to note that using a Boylan soda , or any equivalent soda that has cane sugar , not , corn syrup as a sweeting source is imperative] Place the brisket in the roasting pan with the marinade , cover the baking pan tightly with alluminum foil , and bake for three to four hours in a preheated 325 degree oven. No peek! And I do mean no peek. Leave the roasting pan tightly covered for the duration in the oven for the alloted cooking time! Remove the roast , and let set for a few minutes. Slice crossways against the grain of the meat , and serve with the cola / marinade as a gravy of sorts on the side. I prefer to serve this dish with mashed root vegetables: your choice and combination of ; potato , turnip , rutabaga , parsnip , beets .Braised red cabbage or oven baked bacon and brussel sprouts go well as vegetables. Dijon mustard , a large container of horseradish , or fresh grated horseradish root should be provided as condiments. Fresh baked seeded rye bread , and plenty of cold beverages.....Book Selling Time! Baseball in New York City is a full contact sport in the areas newspapers and their reporters. It is two such reporters in Bill Madden and Moss Klein that covered the NYAL team in the 1970's and 1980's and teamed up to pen ," DAMNED YANKEES, A no- holds barred account of life with " Boss" Steinbrenner". What better way to while away a winter's evening than to read of the surreal accounts of " King George Steinbrenner" , and his affected behavior concerning his beloved NYAL team. Brian Cashman should be given battle pay for working under such an odd over involved baseball owner as Steinbrenner , and his kin ..... I truly hope a silver lining exists for the RTA Euclid Avenue Corridor project silver line. Da p.d.'s Steve Litt I suppose is just doing his job. Hyping up the fiscal figures to fit the criteria of success of the Euclid Avenue Corridor project. Litt was talking to most of us Cleveland lifers when he quoted $4.3 billion in investments as " one big positive number is sure to impress all but the most hardened cynics." Yeah , I admit to be such a hard boiled case of cynicism walking and talking daily.A lifetime spent around Cleveland , Ohio digesting the crackpot lies disguised as journalism served forth by the likes of da p.d. makes one into that very misanthropic , satirical citizen. As for all the big plans that Litt shills about in his Rebirth article, I have a rather ordinary plan that I project as accomplishing everyday that finishes on time and with a mighty flush and flourish.

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