Public gallows erected at East 156 and Waterloo , named Friedmans Folly.

As a potential deterrent to crime in the North Collinwood neighborhood of Cleveland , Ohio a thirty foot steel frame gallows has been erected. Further plans to erect a public stockade are also under consideration. An early name for the steel gallows is proposed after the city employee who made it a reality. Henceforth it will be known as Friedman's Folly.

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2009 ROCK 'N ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY CAUSES WIDESPREAD MUSHROOM PANIC

By Cletus Mylo and Pato Soupe

2009 (c) Copyright. Mr. Clovis Shea and Mr. Mark Stueve. All Right Reserved.

A late friday afternoon run on grocery stores left Cleveland's mushroom supply devastated and in complete disarray. The sole cause of this economic crisis was quickly traced directly back to last minute preparations for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

According to Dr. L.I.B. Hookum Tookum, "This is a mycological disaster. Mushrooms are the lifeblood of Cleveland's small business industry. Without them this city will suffer. Everybody knows that mushrooms grow in shit just like rock and roll. All this for pleasuring the palates and pates of these dilitant invaders and their high fallutin' ways."

Accounts show that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame purchased over 13 tons of the cities mushroom supply within a 24 hour period, leaving the cities restaurants, grocery stores, and downtown street vendors naked and trembling.

Quick to try to shift the blame, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame CEO Mr. Stewart stated, "It wasn't our fault, these british rockers are barbarian mushroom eaters ... I personally saw Jeff Beck eat 3 pounds of raw mushrooms in like three minutes, dude, it was crazy. I told him to 'like slow down, man' and that's when his security dude thugged me in the hallway. I couldn't believe it, I tried to talk to Ron Wood about it but he just laughed and called me a 'wanker'."

While the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was quick to explain itself with whimper and excuse, Cleveland's depleated mushroom supply is not about to rebound anytime soon.

Throughout the Induction Ceremony, VIP guests were seen wolfing down mushroom after mushroom like there was no tomorrow. Local club owner's Handy Buttons and Tooney Lumpy were there to enjoy the festivities. "The mushrooms looked so wonderful, but I didn't get any." Miss Buttons stated. "I managed to get a few." Mr. Lumpy explained. Inductee Larz Ulrich of Metallica stated, "These Brits eat their raw, I tried to keep up with Jeff Beck for a while, man, but he's a fanatic when it comes to mushrooms, after two bags my head was spinning ... when I asked him what he thought of my music he told me I never should have left Genesis ... he thought I was Phil Collins, man. Jeff Beck was my personal hero ... so to hear him say that ... was terrible ... I just wanted to cry."

Picking up the pieces after this debacle will be no easy matter. Cleveland's grocers are teaming up in an effort to seek an emergency supply from Pennsylvania to meet their wholesale contracts for the next critical two week period.

When asked whether or not he felt personally responsible for this crisis, Jeff Beck stated, "I've been a naughty boy. And I don't deserve this award. I will continue to be a naughty boy."

Ron Wood stated, "I asked those boys at the Museum for some old school Cleveland puunanny ... and they sent me a strung out monkey with a fucking toot straw ... that might be how Cleveland rolls ... but it's not my bit ... more Micks thing, really ... damn thing looked like Bruce Springsteen with a banana."

In a last minute Public Relations effort to showcase their new Bruce Springsteen exhibit, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame spokesperson Randy Blather called a special news conference to introduce the Museum's new Official Mascot, 'Lil Toot.' Lil Toot is a miniature Columbia monkey that has a penchant for placing a straw in his nose, hopping around on his haunches, beating his chest, and exclaiming in broken spanish 'Me-More!' In a written statement to City Hall, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum states, "Who doesn't love a monkey in a t-shirt that reads 'Bruce'? We just know that Lil Toot wil bring a new air of inspiration and confidence to our lovely little south shore city by the bay."

Only time will tell whether or not Lil Toot's lovable Springsteen-esque antics will be able to reverse the economic devastation caused by the Cleveland Mushroom Run of 2009. What is clear, however, is that the British still rule Rock and Roll with an Iron Fist.

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A TALE OF TWO SQUARES

Copyright (c) 2008. Mr. Mark Stueve. All Rights Reserved.

A crumbling movie theatre, formerly known as The Commodore, sits in a chronic state of distressed brick and mortar at the intersection of East 152nd Street and Lakeshore Boulevard, also known as Maher Square, testimony to a fallen splendor in a ghetto by the Lake Erie shores neighborhood known as North Collinwood on Cleveland's east side.

Across town the former Capitol Theatre is being renovated as a project worthy of saving, in the neighborhood known as Detroit Shoreway, also known as Gordon Square.

The project involving the Capitol Theatre includes a former arcade and market housed in a neighborhood easily assessable to downtown and fairly close, though not easily assessable, to Lake Erie waters.

Lots going for the corner of West 65th and Detroit where the Capitol Theatre exists. Across town, in Collinwood, is another story. North Collinwood has many public paths to Lake Erie via Wildwood Beach, Euclid Beach State Park, and numerous residential streets between East 140th Street and the city limits at East 185th Street which provide residents easy Lakefront access.

Here lies the quandary.

Detroit Shoreway has a nascent neighborhood on the upswing, noted by the 'Capitol Theatre' project. North Collinwood has a neighborhood in decline, noted by the profound lack of development and attention to a landmark theatre such as 'The Commodore.'

The Detroit Shoreway neighborhood, without easy adjoining Lake Erie access, gets the upgraded business district, anchored by Cleveland Public Theatre, and a number of new start-up businesses such as Bakeries, Coffee Shops, Restaurants, and Retail.

The North Collinwood Lakeshore Avenue neighborhood, with copious adjoining Lake Erie access, gets vacant storefronts, abandoned residential housing and red lined properties, and no new business start-ups, save the atypical liqour marts featuring a menu of individual 'ciggarretts and cigars,' forty ouncers, lottery tickets, and overpriced, and sometimes outdated, food stuffs.

What is wrong with this picture?

North Collinwood is the canary in the mine shaft for Cleveland's future. North Collinwood is Michael Polenseks' Ward for 29 years. Collinwood youth suffer the indignity of no Recreation Center to serve their needs.

Will this omission and contradiction be Polenseks' legacy?

Across town the Detroit Shoreway area is blessed with two City of Cleveland Recreation Center options: Matt Zone, at West 65th and Lorain, and Cuddell Recreation, at West Boulevard and Detroit.

Using a tale of two theatres and the urban squares they occupy as a measure, the disparity seems obvious.

Politics? You bet. Priorities? Downtown trumps neighborhoods.

Decades of poor city planning and imbecilic civic boosterism from the likes of Cleveland Now! to today's Positively Cleveland! serve as cheerleading sections to the massive Cleveland exodus to the suburbs and counties beyond, that has resulted in a reduction by half of Cleveland's population since 1950.

In April 2008 Cleveland City Council approved a 1.5 million dollar loan to improve the Capitol Theatre. The amount of $250,000 dollars was awarded the same month by City Council to study the proposal of a Collinwood Recreation Center.

Downtown Cleveland interests have given away our existing Lakefront to the likes of the NFL Cleveland Browns, provided the Cleveland Indians and the Cleveland Cavaliers with publicly subsidized sports arenas, though little thought is given to Collinwood youth and their recreational needs.

The Commodore Theatre awaits eminent demolition. Maher Square will lose part of its soul. Collinwood youth congregate on street corners without a voice or choice.

The Capitol Theatre in Gordon Square is currently being primed and gussied up for a new birth. Detroit Shoreway children are afforded ample recreational needs.

What will it take to change the priorities to afford both sides of Cleveland an equal share in the fraudulent pie?

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da p.d. less for more scam

As of this past week the local fish wrapper has decided to charge an additional quarter of a dollar for it's sorry newspaper efforts. BEWARE THIS SCAM! Less is more seems to be this sordid attempt at journalism's latest money grabbing ploy. Offering only a smattering of local news via it's metro section , along with a paltry one page op / ed effort , the plain dealer offers it's potential customers not very much for their .75 cents. The local featured columnists who appear with regularity are not worthy of a read save Morris , Feagler , and Larkin. This rudderless ship is sinking fast . Without any real competent news gathering at a local level this joke in print has become just a series of bad rewrites of old news in printed form. For example. Olympic coverage without a reporter in Beijing . No reporters coverage of the 2008 election to speak of save from wire reports.... International news is surely not found in the plain dealer these days. Columnists the likes of Kevin O ' Brien and his girlfriends are fit for your litter box not a good read. Reruns of week old syndicated news from wire sources predominate this skinny sham of a newspaper....... A day old loaf of fluffy white bread with mold growing on it's edges seems to be the current plain dealer product offered. Stale and old news at a new higher price. I wonder how long it will take for this sorry waste of dead trees to be put out of it's misery?

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True Art Heist , North Collinwood revisited

Walking by the True Art Gallery in Cleveland's north Collinwood neighborhood this past Saturday evening , I was touched by the tiny child's bicycle locked onto an equally miniature tree in front of the now closed gallery space. The bike's bright purple color with the orange plastic chain that holding it in place served testimony to so much of what is wrong with the sad priorities that occur in the contemporary urban scheme of events today. The Cuyahoga County government sponsored and passed legislation under the aegis of " Arts and cultural initiative". What does it take for some of these funds to find there way to the street level , and help a marginal neighborhood like North Collinwood , retain the sweat equity that Ms. Deveney of True Art Gallery , has placed into the space with help of her partner in the past two years? As stated in the first post here discussing True Art gallery , had suffered an earlier break in in September 2007 . And that not being bad enough , to have to suffer the indignity of a second break in , this one at the hands of a Collinwood neighbor , who was apprehended in a police sting while selling the stolen paintings a few blocks from True Art Galleries boarded up storefront. Insult added to injury. And yes , not all of the paintings that were heisted from the gallery have been recovered as of yet.Those stolen painting that sold were at deep discounted street prices of a fraction of the arts sticker prices , it is not very likely that this stolen art will find it's way back to the members who exhibited at True Art , and became victims along with Ms. Deveney and her partner . Ms. Deveney in her true blue large hearted fashion is working on a benefit for the artists whose paintings were stolen and not recovered. The real victims here are the North Collinwood community which looses one of the start up business's that made an aesthetic difference to those who visited the area. Across East 156Th Street from True Art is the other new start up business Cafe Marika , another sweat equity project attempting to get a leg up in a marginal neighborhood, that has suffered more than it's share of street crime and bad luck recently . Cafe Marika has the old world charm of a cafe in Budapest or Prague , and the pastries , foodstuffs and strong coffee or drink to go along with it. It is the potential success of these start ups that will determine the future of the Waterloo business district and North Collinwood. Down the block from cafe Marika, and True Art exists the Waterloo areas anchor business , The world renowned Beachland Ballroom , ready to celebrate it's eighth year in another six weeks. A record store , Music Saves , and hipster retail shop Shoperooni are the other neighborhood attractions to date. I just can't get the picture out of my mind of the boarded up windows at True Art gallery , and the tiny child's bicycle tied up in front of the empty True Art storefront. Most of us remember our initial " art " attempts from our childhoods , and having had fun from our creative efforts , either set down the paints and brushes , or ran with them for the remainder of our days. In a small city like Cleveland , Ohio today , it appears that many young adults consider themselves " fine artists" , and let you know about their artworks in a variety of mannerisms that need no further explanation. Just have a walk or drive about the Tremont or Little Italy neighborhoods , and get a taste of this " art " flavor. North Collinwood , and Waterloo Road was looking for this sort of flavor with regards to True Art gallery. Shame that they did not have a better chance at success. Though I would imagine that if local Collinwood children were given the opportunity to just be kids working at their " art " projects after school , that a now empty storefront such as True Art would have great value as a community asset in serving as deterrent to the crime oriented streets that surround it. All those millions of dollars collected by Cuyahoga County for it's " Arts and Cultural initiative", do not appear to have found there way to the street level were they may do some real good in struggling communities such as North Collinwood , and it's culture of poverty and crime that victimize our children. Write to your County Commissioners and ask them how we can send our neighborhoods and children an arts lifeline? Book Selling Time! It is not nice to mix politics with anything as far as I am concerned , and when politics and art mix it is never very pleasant. We offer today a copy of Ralph Shikes , THE INDIGNANT EYE , The artist as social critic from the fifteenth century to Picasso. I only wish that more scrutiny was placed upon the dispersal of tax generated funds that's aim are to support an " arts and cultural initiative". Many artists goals throughout history have been aimed at skewering politicians at the end of their ink pens , and for damn good reasons. Art and politics do mix , and it is the artist who justly lampoons or kicks the politicos into the muck they crawl about in that get my vote any day of the week. Thomas Nast comes to mind as the nineteenth century American artist whose work best represents this form of satire that portrays the politicians in their most authentic form. Who is your favorite? Send along yours and we will print them here at a later date.

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wcpn reviews Mayor Jackson's new safety plan,

This morning's nine to ten a.m. slot on WCPN radio was an examination of Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson's new get tough on crime Public Safety Plan , which entails getting both gangs and the guns that gangs would brandish off Cleveland streets in an effort to reduce homicides and violent crimes. A great idea. The wcpn host was joined by Cleveland council representative Nina Turner who was "encouraged" ,by Mayor Jackson's plan , and stated that " desperate times call for desperate measures". A point well taken. Also on board was Professor Ronnie Dunn from Cleveland State Universities Department of Urban Studies , who felt that a " community awareness component " , was an important consideration in this plan that was not addressed directly , and he expressed concern for the potential abuse of of racial profiling when Cleveland police start enforcing this plan. Guns are color blind , and the felons that use them in committing crimes come in all colors , ages , and demographic profiles. Callers to the show were of mixed opinions , though the distinct majority seemed to agree in principle with the mayor's plan , with the exception of a concerned mother of a five year old , who stated she was " against Mayor Jackson's plan" , citing concerns of the potential abuse of racial profiling as her reason.Professor Dunn departed halfway through the program , and was replaced by Cleveland Police Patrolman's Association representative Steve Loomis , who assured that the rank and file officers will work within the letter of the law in enforcement of this plan , not be overly aggressive or punitive in their approach. Loomis also stated that due to thin ranks officers were more often than not " reactive , not proactive" , when working with crime in Cleveland these days due to the Cleveland Police layoffs of 2004 .He also stated that "politics , simply politics" , play a major role in the diminished number of police on the streets at any given time. Adding that the City needs to add 300 officers to the 1500 that currently serve. With Cleveland's population at the 478,000 figure The ratio of even 1800 police officers to 478,000 citizens appears to be quite a low percentage. In checking the police to citizen ratio in Cuyahoga County's second largest city , Parma ,Ohio , I found that Parma employs 128 police officers to serve 85,655 citizens , an average of 1.03 officer to every thousand citizens. Digging even deeper I discovered the National average of police to citizen ratio per city is 2.8 to one. It does not take an Einstein to see how thin the Police Department in Cleveland , Ohio is in comparison to other cities. This numerical disparity translates to a very thin blue line indeed , and it would perhaps serve wcpn to research and include similar statistics in their future programs concerning Cleveland Police and their relationship to fighting crime. Severely understaffed seems an understatement! Some discussion occurred concerning the origin of the firearms that exist in Cleveland's streets. No one seemed to get the big picture , that firearms are big business , and that money on the streets of Cleveland can purchase just about any old item one desires for the right price. I sited in my January 2 , 2008 post entitled RESOLUTE , that a group of us were pinned down by gunfire on New Years eve , and it is an odd week that passes when some type of gunfire is not heard in our East side neighborhood. The obvious solution is to hire more Police officers to fight crime in all American cities afflicted by heinous and violent crimes. Our Federal Government currently has placed us in great debt by mustering the mostly United States troop strength in Iraq and Afghanistan for the purpose of holding fragile peace in those Countries and establishing democracies. Well politicians , democracy begins and ends on our home battlefields , and cities like Cleveland , Ohio and Detroit , Michigan could sure use the efforts of soldiers , police , or the United States Marines to fight crime and hold the fragile peace that exists in our war torn urban neighborhoods! How can any of these Federal politicians keep up the ruse of fighting a war to hold a peace overseas , when our own citizens face similar warlike conditions on a daily basis in America? Time has come for breaking the cycle of crime and poverty that send adolescents into gangs as a means of survival on Cleveland's tough streets. Prevention is always a better strategy than the proactive interventions that result after the crime is committed , and leads to increased incarcerations. The WCPN host did a credible job with regards to addressing this ongoing urban problem , but would better serve his audience with a bit more preparation prior to taking the airwaves.....On a sad though similar subject. One week ago , on Tuesday January 8 ,2008 , a high school friend , Jim Cappetto was struck from behind and knocked out in the hallways of Cleveland's South High School while attempting to break up a fight between gangs at the high school. Jim was best man at a mutual friends wedding some years ago , and he was the leather lunged voice at old Cleveland Municipal Stadium who vocalized the cheer JULIOOOO! , whenever Julio Franco stepped up to the plate for the Cleveland Indians. Jim Cappetto is quite a nice man , possessing an easy demeanor and smile , and a dedicated teacher for thirty plus years in the Cleveland system , and please keep him in your thoughts and prayers for a complete and quick recovery. An interesting and scary fact is that on the day of January 8 , 2008 when Mister Cappetto was attacked and injured , two Cleveland police officers and six security guards were present on the South High School campus. Not a small number of people to hold the peace. Enough said! Book Selling Time! The spike in Cleveland's murder rate in 2007 is reason for concern , though we must note that a decrease in other crimes was concurrent. We offer today an earlier view of the same sorry fatal subject the 1947 edition of CLEVELAND MURDERS , edited by Howard Beaufait. Merely one volume in a series on the subject by City in America. CLEVELAND MURDERS chronicles the notable examples of this sorry subject , including the Kingsbury Run multiple murders that remain unsolved to this day. Not exactly an uplifting read , but take note that events do not change that much through the years in Cleveland , Ohio. Not for the better at least.

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genus rana versus genus homo on wcpn ,City of Cleveland takes on Wall Street banksters, Breuer Tower, Peter Lewis

WCPN did a fine job in discussing the environmental " canary in a mineshaft " theory concerning the depletion of frogs , genus rana , from the World's ecological grid. As opposed to the often biased political flavors sold by the same radio bunch when serving up da pd's propaganda wishes concerning local pet political projects , this mornings nine to ten a.m. slot , idea stream , worked well when discussing frogs , hell benders , mud puppies and other amphibians that we humans , genus homo , may have evolved from. Wait , take that back , we humans have crawled out of the muck and slime that our amphibious predecessors come from , yet the notion of human evolution still seems a work in progress , and given the accounting of our collective destructive and war like actions not fairing very well. The gist of this one hour frog fest was that as humans we have contributed mightily to the destruction of habitat for frogs and amphibians alike , in some cases existing in extinction . The tragic part of this equation is that the irony may be ours to embrace , seeing that robust frog populations serve as indicators to a healthy environment , and we are depleting these environments all over the world without deriving the important medical and genetic data the genus rana has to offer us. I recall one morning when camping in the wilds of upper Minnesota sometime after Labor Day 1978 , awaking to an entire majestic cover of thousands of bright green tree frogs that covered near every inch of the tent and the National Park area that we had camped in. What a unique sight! The frogs took cover after dawns early light passed , though I have never seen or experienced such frog sitings again in my life. Now if we could only figure a way to turn the politicians into frogs , we would have a better chance at surviving the ecological mess that the politicians and their less than ecological friendly business as usual types have created for us lowly humans. Kudos to wcpn for airing this timely and insightful ecological hour and the good job done by the host and guests alike. Keep up the good work , stay on the objective side of the street , and lay off da pd and civic cheerleader groups political agenda and propaganda that is so often found aired at this hour!.... Continuing on an upbeat note to begin the week, congratulations and kudos to Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and City Law Director Robert Triozzi for the gumption and presence of mind to file a lawsuit against twenty one powerful Wall Street Investment banks , using the sound premise of arguing that the banks created a public nuisance by their unsound business practices in the issuing of inappropriate loans that have led to the ruination of some Cleveland neighborhoods when the aforesaid unsound loans defaulted and ended up in foreclosure. Filed in our Cuyahoga County Common Please Court , expect the big Wall Street banks to file motion for a Federal Court venue , and to throw their massive legal machinery against our City's brave and worthy legal efforts. Not since boy mayor Dennis Kucinich took on the greedy kilowatts of the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company in 1977 , has a Mayor and administration shown as much courage to fight for the very critical fallen soul of a City that's population is constantly penalized by the corporate banks and the real estate agents that do their dirty field work.It would behoove Mayor Jackson and Mister Triozzi to enlist pro bono help in this matter from some of the more civic minded Law firms that call Cleveland home. Great amounts of City of Cleveland funds have been paid out to large Cleveland Law firms during the past twenty years , see Roldo Bartimole"s Point Of View for the actual staggering amounts of millions of dollars spent , and it is time to approach these same said Law firms who profited at the citizens of Cleveland's expense to help us out with this righteous fight for our dignity and help us stabilize our neighborhoods and deliver the message to these Wall Street banksters that if you mess with Cleveland , Ohio we mess you up right back with you!....Still more good news! Baseball season is around the corner , and around the corner from this book store the former Jacobs Field stands , just now renamed Progressive Field , as the Progressive Insurance Company paid 3.6 million per year for the next sixteen years for the naming writes to this dubious local landmark. Since 1994 this ball yard has known the nickname " the Jake", and what fun pundits will have in hanging a new nickname on this home of the sorrows and broken dreams of Cleveland American League Baseball fans. Progressive Chairman of the Board Peter Lewis is a well known modern arts patron and philanthropist , and it would serve all of us Clevelanders greatly if he combined business and pleasure in purchasing the Marcel Breuer Cleveland Trust Tower down the block on East Ninth Street , that our Cuyahoga County Government now owns , and completes the second identical twin tower that Breuer had envisioned . While Mister Lewis is at it move a few of the 27,000 odd employees into the Breuer Towers. What a positive effect that could have on the future of Cleveland. The employee taxes gathered alone would help all Cleveland citizens survive a bit better via improved City services. If Marcel Breuer could return from his grave , tap Peter Lewis on the shoulder and ask him the favor to complete his vision of twin towers for this structure I am sure he would. Alas , only a pipe dream , yet one can always hope for logical civic improvement in a progressive fashion from Peter Lewis. If anyone is capable of sound judgement in the field of architecture and urbane affairs it just may be Peter Lewis. Mister Lewis has contributed generously in the past to Case Western Reserve University projects , though has been justifiably critical of the direction of CWRU of late and withdrawn some of his fiscal support. How appropriate it would be for the citizens of Cuyahoga County through our elected public officials to approach Mister Lewis in a polite fashion and enlist his help with regards to the currently vacant seeking tenant Breuer Tower. Pipe dream or not , seems like a sound pairing to me. While we are on the subject of pipes , it is high time to pass the peace pipe to the legion of offended Native Americans that consider the racist " wahoo " mascot the Cleveland Indians enlist as their team logo.Retire the nasty little red faced cartoon figure once and for all! The Cleveland American League team has won a total of two World Series Championships in it's one hundred and seven seasons while playing in the professional American League. Not a very stellar performance. Second place is no place , and all the American League Championships do not mean a thing unless the Cleveland AL team wins the World Series ring! Speaking of rings. Progressive Field has a nice sounding ring about it , and I sure would hate to hear any wag refer to it as a bastardized form of wahoo pee pee tepee ever again as the jake has been refered to in it's recent past. For those who would care to absorb this final nugget of knowledge try on for size the Progressive Insurance slogan in a Cleveland baseball context." It's about you. And it's about time.".Pass the peace pipe now!.....Book Selling Time! Not exactly a household necessity , but the $6.90 price is right. We offer today a copy of Phillipe Vosjoli's 32 page book entitled THE GENERAL CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF HORNED FROGS. Now , I do not really believe that many of you readers are interested in raising frogs , though if the Cleveland American League Baseball team threw over the lousy wahoo logo for a frog themed mascot and logo , I about guarantee you that a chorus of croaking frog sounding "ribbet" cheers would fill the Progressive Field grandstands with good clean green fun , not to metion a new found respect for our genus rana friends. I grew up with the weird Froggy the gremlin popping up from a puff of smoke via Andy Devine's jolly musings and incantation : " Plunk your magic twanger Froggy". " Highya kids , highya highya" ,was Froggy the Gremlin's response to Andy Devine's query . Cartoons and early television children's shows like " Andy's Gang " , warped me good for life. So now you have a better idea why I prefer a humorous frog logo like Froggy to the insipid likes of the racist wahoo as a baseball logo. If you wish to relive these magic childrens show memories with me , click on the link to froggythegremlin.com. Froggy the Gremlin is way too cool for school , and deserves a larger place of recognition in our popular culture mileau! Green is where it's at . Imagine the unique concession stand favorite an imitation boneless frogs leg sandwich would become. I know , tastes like chicken . Could be made from fish sticks to resemble frog legs. Froggy the gremlin sure would make a better team logo than that racist wahoo! And a bunch more green fun ta boot!

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Resolute

A few hours prior to the New Years a friend asked what was my New Years resolution? I replied... To remain Resolute.

It is easy to see what problems exist in a destitute City in decline like Cleveland, Ohio today. Much more difficult to come up with strategies and means to help improve these conditions of decline.

I will remain resolute in scrutiny and critical examination of this Cities meager media concerns. Holding both the, for profit and public mediums accountable for their actions, or lack of said actions.

My pal Slipsy Junior moved here from Youngstown, Ohio some years back, and this region seems like paradise to him compared to the Mahoning Valley.

Be that as it may, Youngstown was always a greasy backwater burg between Cleveland and Pittsburgh that never served as much as a model for any Civic activity with the exception of a highly organized mix of crime and politics, that made Youngstown more resemble some loutish New Jersey city than Cleveland, Ohio in its better previous years.

I would have preferred a little better start to this New Years 2008, though being pinned down on our street awaiting the gunfire to cease was the way it began for a group of us eager to leave a party for a neighborhood club, though not willing to run the gauntlet of errant bullets being fired with rapidity into the sky as if a street in Baghdad, not Cleveland's east side.

This unfortunate display of local firepower seems to grow in intensity and length of time every New Years, and the smoke and gunfire did not die down until an hour had passed. Driving to fetch a New York Times the next morning brought a look at the spent cartridges and shell casings that littered many street corners and sidewalks.

These folks who discharge their firearms seem to have no regards to where the bullets might land, and I am surprised that more harm has not come from this barbaric practice. I have a distinct feeling that this practice is not status quo in Westlake, Bay Village, Strongsville, or any of the swell suburbs that most of the well fed and cared for members of the local media clans reside. Perhaps in the year 2008 some of these folks will consent to a cultural exchange program, and actually reside in the City of Cleveland that they purport to provide news coverage of.

Fat chance!

You see it is easy to cover a war from a comfortable distance equipped with a fat paycheck, and do not think that life in contemporary Cleveland does not more resemble a war zone than a civilized outpost.

I am tired of local crime and gunfire, and vow to remain resolute in letting as many other people who care for a taste of reality, versus the local media fictional tidy universe quilted by da p.d. at 1801 Superior. I do intend to describe the sordid truth and shameful conditions that rue life here today in Cleveland, Ohio 2008. In this I remain resolute.

To say that business conditions in Cleveland today are rough seems an understatement of fact.

The law of diminishing returns comes to mind, and the diminishing part of this equation is the population that has fled making it difficult to sell books to those who remain.

So I will remain resolute to sell more books outside of the area that we call home. We have over nineteen thousand books listed for sale online, and we have at least that many awaiting description and cataloging for sale.

If you are looking for a title and having little to show for your efforts please contact us. We will do the best we can to connect you with the book you are looking for.

Book Selling Time!

Forget the lousy lies of politicians, and the media concerns who do the lying for them. Celebrate the season with a warm look at Cleveland 's recent past provided via a copy of Richard Karberg's great illustrated volume of recipes and accounts of the late Silver Grille, an art deco restaurant which occupied the tenth floor of the Higbee Company Department Store on Cleveland's Public Square until it's closing in late December 1989.

Yet another dark sad day in downtown Cleveland history. The Silver Grille was a favorite "tea service style" lunchroom in the grandest fashion. This fine volume recounts the history as well as the recipes and flavors that made the Silver Grille a hometown favorite for over fifty years.

Happy New Years to all of our friends and Family!

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MORE MODERN MANNERS

Who has been naughty , who has been nice? The cheeze sez it's Cleveland puss , not "Cleveland plus". Pity to belabor such an insignificant point of grammar. Puss runs just like all the jolly former Clevelanders have , towards the brighter beckoning burbs...... An interesting humorous curse in Italian is so translated here as " go shit in your hat", So find the lumpy bald Caucasian male pimping parties in Lake County and go take a dump in his pork pie hat if you should find it laying about. Provide a nice chunk of brown for the cheerleader clown...... For the corporate bankers and other such usurious critters , another year of stomach grabbing quivers. You reap what you sow , and your up to your necks now. The white collar criminals among you grab prison garb and a plow .......Boss Dolan and all his little Indian Tribe , a new team logo and mascot the other's are jive. Your wahoo figure and slider are quite a drag , as long as wahoos around no world series flag.....For the two local free rags whose copy hardly matters , a crystal ball to predict which one will survive 2008 not fold with a splatter.....For all the inebriates and fools who visit downtown , a trip to the hoosegow complete with a psychopathic cellmate bearing a frown......for the chubby cheerleader in the pork pie hat , a new set of knee pads and mouthwash by the vat..... for the rock n' roll hall of fame gang ,whose aesthetics are nill , an aesthetic review board for your current review board which is swill..... for harvey pekar , Cleveland's official whiner , a permanent trip out west to join drew carey the former west sider.....for da p.d. the moniker minister of propaganda for Northeast Ohio we bestow , an invitation to move the rest of your quilting bee to deadly biddulph road....for wcpn , an industrial sized box of condoms and ky jelly to ease , the corporate violation of our public air waves and prevention of venereal radio disease. Book Selling Time! Bad poetry is the flavor of the day , so some real poetry will serve as a cure all. May we suggest our personal favorite poet of the second half of the 20th century Wallace Stevens COLLECTED POEMS , finely bound in a modern leather binding , and suitable for a gift at this Christmas season. Best wishes to all the Cleveland residents who have a little less on their plates this season , if you are in need of a book or two gratis for gifts please visit our storefront after telephoning first.Thank you Kim and John , my family and all the nice people who still call Cleveland home.

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What do you get if you?

Combine two sorry fatuous public relations campaign jingo's into one? Let's try this exercise this morning.

Take "I believe in Cleveland "and combine with "Positively Cleveland", and presto just as quick as you can say regional Countywide Government you get I POSITIVELY BE LEAVING CLEVELAND!

Yes boys and girls, college grads and political back thumping sycophants!

All you swell expense account lackeys lying for a living on our supposed “public radio" station. Harrouuumph, honorary degrees extended to one another?

Amid blasts of ballyhoo and vitriol plenty of back thumping over the radio waves plundered by WCPN this Thursday morning?

These radio jokers let loose on WCPN would give you the idea that they actually possess objectivity when it comes to the fates of the citizenry they are speaking in behalf of.

What hot air!

You radio jokers, political and media hacks alike pay attention! Let us now face some hard facts fellow Clevelanders.

The taxpaying segments of Cuyahoga County want no parts of the City of Cleveland, or East Cleveland for that matter.

A simple question should suffice: If you are in deep shit and drowning and only a finite amount of room exists in a metaphorical lifeboat?

Would you?

A. Drag more weight into the lifeboat and drown all aboard?
B. Paddle like the devil dogs of hell are on your tail and escape the fetid mess?

Most of the communities that comprise Cuyahoga County save perhaps East Cleveland would choose B. Hands down!

Most already have. See how these taxpaying citizens have already run with fervor to the adjoining five Counties that comprise our Northeast Ohio region.

True facts speak for themselves, and the actual number of citizens that have already made the exodus from Cuyahoga County is staggering.

Enough said...

Detroit, Michigan during the 1920's practiced what Columbus, Ohio has been up to in the past thirty odd years in expanding City limits and services via incorporating smaller townships, cities, and suburbs into their City Government.

Note that the greatest difference in City populations between Detroit and Cleveland during the 20th century was due to this expansion that the City of Detroit took on early in the Twentieth Century. Imagine all of Cleveland's inner ring suburbs, and early Twentieth Century developed communities, being a part of The City of Cleveland Government. Lakewood, Cleveland Heights, Shaker Heights, Garfield Heights, Parma ... you get the picture. All those burbs' part of Cleveland.

This earlier attempt at Regional government in Detroit only led to the premature flight of the upwardly mobile taxpayer to the adjoining Counties surrounding Detroit, leaving Detroit the destitute and decrepit carcass that it is today.

Sure, silver linings exist in both Detroit and Cleveland.

Mostly sad attempts to garner tourism via revamping hotels, restaurants, and the sort of white table cloth mentality that exists in the suburbs and comes a slummin' to these cities for a little wine and sin, leaving for the Blisteria Drives that these suburban tourists call home before midnight.

No real significant gains unless you count the corrupt casino culture of Detroit, or the second rate rock n' roll hall of fame blight at the foot of east ninth street as positive? I for one do not. Sad facts about introducing Casinos into a city is that they spike upward crime , and as for the insipid rock and roll hall of fame we can always wish for a

Tsunami!..

What really does make sense is an attempt to upgrade the infrastructure and services that are paid for by the taxpayers in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. The visible benefit of any form of Regional Government would be in the combining of safety forces.

Increased fire, police, and emergency medical teams would better serve Cleveland citizens.

I am all for regional Government, simply because it will serve Cleveland better than it will the suburbs that it will combine with… As for the proposed Convention Center and Medical Merchandise Mart that Cuyahoga County citizens are already paying for via a convenient tax placed in front of them this past hot vacation time month of August.

Just ask dear old Norman Krumholz to explain the reality of the non impact that either of these two pipe dreams will have on the bottom line of the City and County.

Norman Krumholz is a fine gentleman of the old school, but a severe victim of being a pawn in a larger political game that destroyed much of Cleveland during his tenure in City hall. Norman is up in years, and perhaps more than willing to rectify the horrible effects of serving as City of Cleveland Planning chief during the City's period of most severe decline.

Tell the people the truth about the effects of convention centers in the cities that have built them recently Norman. The simple truth is that like sports stadiums, convention centers do nothing in the realm of creating viable jobs outside of the broom, mop, and bucket variety. The for profit Medical Mart taxes should be quickly transferred to a infrastructure improvement for Cuyahoga County fund while some interested citizens still reside here. Let this be a call for citizens of Cuyahoga County to roll back the taxes gathered for the for profit medical merchandise mart into the means to save our crumbling infrastructure. We will need all the help we can get in this matter in the quick years to come...

Book Selling Time! It is a sad day when the same automobile is parked across the street for twenty four hours broken down and with Missouri plates on its hoopty frame.

Inside is a single woman at the end of the line, which in this case is East Ninth Street just north of Bolivar.

She was in the car all night, sleeping the evening in her ride, and I am now about to leave to pick her up a plate of hot food. I will donate the proceeds of the sale of today's book Walter C. Kidney's HISTORIC BUILDINGS OF OHIO, to her cause.

The Kidney volume features locally a fantastic set of architect’s drawings for the Cleveland Arcade, among many other historic Ohio buildings covered in this as new still shrink wrapped volume.

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