teebtong

PS sorry for the rant earlier! I'm just tired of hearing about efforts to block something that seems to logical to me, but... Welcome to Ohio! Governor: Ted Strickland, Lieutenant Governor: Lee Fisher

^Yeah; I feel terrible because fleeing frustration doesn't make anything better for the state, but... Like I said, I just don't want to have to wait until I'm retired to have passenger rail in OH, passenger rail that at that point will be even FARTHER behind what the rest of the country/world has. :| I especially don't feel like waiting because I am blessed enough to be able to be mobile~

Ughh....I can't stand this state sometimes! :x There's a reason new businesses don't want to locate/stay in OH (same with college grads): BECAUSE IT'S STILL 19-F'ING-52 IN THIS DAMN STATE! I've almost had it; unless you have a car, want 2.5 white children and a wife named Barb this isn't the state for you. I know it doesn't "help the cause" or whatever, but I'm about to do what it takes to help MY cause (i.e. my life/sanity) and bounce from this state the first chance I get. I can't stand how anything even SLIGHTLY progressive project here gets scuttled and then people complain about what a sh*thole this place is....Well I'm starting to agree. Ohio is exactly the same place it was when I was born (and I've lived here since); nothing's changed. I'd really rather not wait until I'm 65 to be able to take a train going 45-mph to the (at that point) Third-World cities of Cincinnati or Cleveland. There's no investment in anything close to my heart here because it all gets sunk by the GOP unless it's for a new "American Heritage Truth Center" or something like that; the stranglehold they have on the politics and minds of OH keeps anything from getting done. Couple that with the spineless Dems that come into power once every 47 years and I think I'd rather just go to another state and join the rest of the world in the 21st century. </rant> Now that I've vented, I hope this Sen Patton character doesn't ruin this; I've sent my (more calmly worded) thoughts to his office. Thank you for your time :-)

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm sorry that it took me so long to respond but with trying to graduate I've been pretty busy. Still having a tough time finding a job...but I'll guess you'll have that. Useful suggestions everyone. If you hear anything more please let me know! Thanks

Hey all! This is Steve. I've been on this site for years (although the post count may not confirm that :-o) and love reading about what's going on. I'm getting ready to graduate from school (BA in Geography) and am looking for a job...problem is, I'm not sure where to look. Any ideas? Any entertaining anecdotes to share about your first post-graduation job? Let's hear 'em! Thanks a bunch! Steve

So does anyone get mad when articles refer to "smoker's rights"... Ok fine go ahead and feel like your rights as a SMOKER are being compromised because of a statewide referendum. Not too many people seemed to be as up in arms when the state passed one of the most strigent BANS ON COMMON LAW MARRIAGES/SAME-SEX PARTNERSHIPS in the country! I guess the voice of the people is wrong when it says "don't smoke in front of my children", but oh so right when it says "I don't want them queers marryin'!" Smoker's rights? How about Human/Taxpayer rights?! It just bugs me how there are so many people in this state up in arms and have made this a fudamental case about freedom in Ohio. So many people are taking a stand on this issue when everyone just kinda sat back and watched Issue 1 pass a few years ago and then said nothing more about it. I think that it's disgusting that someone's rights as a smoker are consider more important than others' rights to enter legal contracts with other consenting adults and receive benefits for their live-in spouses, same-sex or otherwise. God damn it I hate this state sometimes.

Wonderful pics of a wonderful neighborhood. I think the snow makes it seem even more magical.

Not directed at anyone in particular, just a thought that was provoked while reading: So because Columbus doesn't have older urban housing, should the city just not bother to build anything because it would be "fake"? At one point those townhomes in Cincinnati were characterless new housing. Yeah, they have always had architectural value, but that doesn't give them character. Character is something they gained over time. Everything has to start somewhere.

I think this is nice and I agree that not all housing should be mid-rise condo buildings, simply because I think DT is just too big geographically to fill with that style of development. Also, Gay St closer to high is a nice group of buildings that are all about 5-6 stories tall at the most, aside from the Renaissance Hotel. It looks nice to have low rise there, why wouldn't look good to have it further down? Also, I just think it's unrealistic to assume that all of the Inner Belt is going to fill with mid-rise condo/apt buildings. There could/should/(and I think) will be a lot of those kinds of buildings, but not every square block is going to fill with that style of development. I've read many times that DT Columbus is geographically larger than the area of the Loop in Chicago...unless Columbus is going to explode in the near future, i think we can spare a few blocks of what appears to be attractive development on a human scale, which is what is already there on Gay St. In response to the "slippery-slope" of taking what you can get downtown, I have mixed feelings. True, I think that just taking what anyone will throw at you is bad, because that's exactly why DT is what it is now. That being said, a little dose of reality is healthy too. We're not going to wake up anytime soon and see Columbus look like Vancouver (the lack of a port, navigable water, and economic ties to China guaranteeing that). So what is the solution? Things like this proposed Gay St. development. It's not ranch-style homes and parking-in-front stores on High and Broad; no one's gonna tear down Rhodes Tower and replace it with a Pizza Hut/Taco Bell-combo drive-in. Gay St. between 4th and 6th is an appropriate location for this sort of development, and shouldn't be dismissed because of people's pipedreams about having Columbus be a city of green glass high-rise condos. The city can definitely spare a few blocks for attractive urban housing that fits with the nature of the street it's on. That's my opinion.

Yeah it's still there, and it's still about a half a mile before the actual state line.

My dad used to work at McGregor Park back in the mid-90s. It was indeed a golf course and was bought by DP&L. It's their main HQ where are the real decision making is going on. Their office downtown is really more of a prop for media interviews and things like that (forgive conspiracy theory tone...I didn't know how not to make it sound like that :|). I've been inside the compound when he used to work there and MAN is it beautiful. The buildings are absolutely gorgeous on the inside with big trees growing in the atrium and what-not. Also, the grounds surrounding the buildings are full of tracks for jogging and benches to sit outside and have lunch. It's a very beautiful place, and if it's anything like it used to be, it suggests that the execs have a lot of money.

Having been in that building a few times, I was convinced it was going to demolish itself while I was inside it. I had my eyes on the exits at all times because I thought the old thing was going to just collapse when I was there. OSU likes to let buildings get to the brink of danger and then demolish them rather than renovate. A few examples: the now former Larkins Hall, and that absolute atrosicity the Ohio Union. I work at the Union and some of the things I've seen behind the scenes make me not want to be in there, I'll say that much. Enjoy:-)

I'm glad that all news stories in every state seem to take a backseat to gay-marriage bans; it's one subject that can unite people across racial boundaries, prejudice against gays. It's good to know that disdain for homosexuals is one of the few things that gets Americans talking :x

If only for hometown posterity, i have to side with ColDayMan. After reading what is written, I will say this: Dayton and Toledo can't be compared as easily as people seem to think. Dayton and Toledo have very little in common aside from being in the same state. I feel that Akron and Dayton are much more similar...That being said, i understand that everyone has their own favorites. However, I have noticed that some people from Toledo constantly try to attack D-town to say how nice Toledo is. I see this as an example of the predator the wounded prey because it's easier. I'm not naming names, but in the past I have noticed several Toledo forumers have compared dayton to toledo to make toledo seem better simply because a comparison to , say, columbus would warrant shrieks of laughter at the absurdity of it. My opinion, Dayton is simply in better condition than Toledo in many ways. It's been ranked as a better place to live and to do business. Toledo forumers who feel unfairly treated may direct further comments to every magazine that has consistently ranked Dayton higher. Oh and for ColDayMan....DAYTON REPRESENT!

I'm glad they are renovating the tower. Not only is it underappreciated, and not only does it have a really good skyline view, but I know that a lot of new students (including myself last year) that thought it was off limits! I seriously didn't know that students were even allowed up there until fall quarter this year.