Round up the usual suspects

It is Monday morning and time to round up the usual suspects. You , over there. Yes you , the fatuous one located at East 18Th and Superior a.k.a . da p.d. , da pee dee , or whatever pathos in newsprint you fancy these days. Line up against that wall and shut up already. The Sunday April 6 ,2008 editorial Put It On The Map ,is another great reason why the publisher of a daily newspaper should not sit on the board of director's of a major local institution as in this case the Cleveland clinic. The plain dealer shilling for the Cleveland clinic may be considered business as usual by the slap happy editorial board gang at da p.d.. Others of us find it more to resemble business as unusual at the very least. This editorial makes yet another unashamed plug for a proposed three mile highway linking Interstate 480 with the Cleveland clinic. Dubbed the " opportunity corridor" , one begs to inquire ... Whose opportunity? Yes , the correct answer students is the very Cleveland clinic who da p.d. publisher Terrance Egger sits on the CC Board of Directors of. As we said here some months ago when da p.d. ran an earlier editorial begging for this same self serving road. We said just say no! Governor Ted . Keep saying no to this selfish little land grab. Governor Ted Strickland represents eighty seven other Counties in Ohio as well as Cuyahoga , and in all fairness , short of succeeding from the other eighty seven , the other counties need the public infrastructure funds as well as Cuyahoga does. Last time I looked the entire State of Ohio is looking seedy , aged , and way frayed at the cuff. So consider the rest of the State of Ohio's political opinion concerning the proposed future of basically a private road in Cuyahoga County Ohio? Not very much interest I would guess , and da p.d. should at least be bright enough to admit to this fact. The plain dealer boast in this skewed editorial is " Cleveland can't and won't wait." Suggesting that da p.d. will go negative on Governor Strickland , and work against him politically . To quote this Superior Road gang's own words. " and if Ted Strickland can't promise results ,, it may be tough for Northeast Ohioans to promise votes for this bond plan." Scary kids , scary. OOOOH Scary OLD PAIN DEALER. A hollow threat from the weak and slack jawed jowls of da paper tiger that is da p.d. 2008. ............wcpn the yawning midget of public radio in our listening area should check it's sad self into a hospital to see if they possess a beating pulse much less a heart? Well , no news is old hat at wcpn so line up against the wall you phony " idea stream" cheerleaders. This morning 's nine to ten a.m . gambit was yet another public relations dog and pony show toutin' and shoutin' and placing a positive spin on the 200 million rta Euclid avenue corridor project. No subjective or critical examination needed of the corridor project and the adjoining land usage according to wcpn. Just a jolly good old public relations lovefest...Noted journalist Roldo Bartimole seems to believe differently in that a series of speculative real estate transactions featuring both public and private concerns , and the a list downtown players roles in real estate transactions along the downtown part of the Euclid avenue dedicated bus line is worthy of examination and critical reporting. Roldo's Point of View on this matter is a well described and documented read on the political and private business transactions occurring at the southeast corner of East Ninth and Euclid . Yes , that corner the one with the significant architectural truck in a International stature in the form of the Marcel Breuer Cleveland Trust Tower. This historic corner should be celebrated , as well the remaining buildings on the south side of Euclid Avenue eastward to the point at Huron street. These historic Euclid Avenue buildings are all worthy of rehabilitation . Comprising a nice slice of older commercial buildings perfect for apartment , loft , or condominiums . This building cluster should be included on any Cleveland citizen who is architectural preservation minded map and radar screen, concerning the pending $35 million Willoughby based development plan currently pending transaction with Cuyahoga County. History is at stake here. Short of building the second Breuer Tower on the site , saving these older structures gives a nice model window of what a handsome block of rehabilitated buildings with all the original interior trimmings can be...What is at stake here is a real crosstown intersection for any hospital workers who care to live or relocate to a residence downtown , as option to current suburban digs and the daily drag of an automotive commute. Calabrese of the RTA outfit promises a ten minute trip on the quick side of time between downtown and UC via the " silver line". As little as five or seven minutes in quickest imagined time spent in a simple commute. A new bus leaves the station every five minutes. That is an upside in any event , and only time will tell if any of the proposed developments will really have much impact in terms of retail growth , business start ups , and a critical mass of citizens living close enough to this bus line to fall out of bed and into a bus on the EAC. The true test of social justice will be East Cleveland's share of the project as it continues on to it's eastern point at the Windemere Rapid station. The happiness boys on hand at wcpn received only six telephone calls during the allotted hour , and the final call was from a man in East Cleveland who identified himself as Ojo , and claimed he was a constant caller always given short shrift by wcpn. Guess what? Ojo was once again given short shrift , and his critical comments concerning issues of poverty and employment on the rta silver line ledger were given a cursory kiss off by the wcpn gang. It is not just downtown and the University Circle neighborhoods that this Euclid Avenue corridor bus line should concern itself with. The neighborhoods that border this project have needs that need to be addressed as well. These neighborhoods are unfortunately all victims of terminal poverty ,and are as follows. Hough , Fairfax , and Central. It would be an original "idea stream" , if perhaps one of the Einstein invalids in the wcpn news department could see there way clear to have representatives from these three Cleveland neighborhoods plus East Cleveland , Ohio comment and discuss the impact that the " silver line" might have on their citizens lives. Stay tuned..... It is easy to see that spring is in the air , and perhaps the two news sources discussed above should open their stultified windows and air out some actual Cleveland citizens real time public interests. The proposed " opporotunity corridor ' , is merely a means yet another land grab for the Cleveland clinic , and would do more harm to any hopes of improving the current neighborhoods that it proposes to tear through than help. If the Cleveland clinic is serious about having their workforce closer to theie Euclid avenue campus , perhaps they should consider building housing along the Euclid Avenue corridor. Yet another highway is only a means for automotive futures , not feet on the pavement urban lifestyle futures. Da p.d. seems to only jump as high on their editorial page as the Cleveland clinic asks them to. That is tragedy , and should be addressed from an neutral ethical viewpoint before this matter of an "opportunity corridor " , receives even a lousy penny in Ohio tax funds. If this road is so damn important to the Cleveland clinic and the parasitical pee dee , let them build it.

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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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