TBideon

^(to HTS) It's complicated and I don't have all the answers. The airport thing is a different situation because the constitution doesn't fully apply in an airport as it does outside, if I'm not mistaken, so there is some gray area there. I mean, the 4th amendment issues alone are pretty complex. "But the Fourth Amendment, along with most of the Constitution, does not apply in the airport the same way it does in most public spaces. U.S. airports are a Constitutional "twilight zone" - the rights you have in the outside morph once you step inside the terminal, and it has been this way long before September 11." http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/11/23/national/main7082555.shtml Now as to the Coventry Fair all-black-teens-didn't-cause-the-problems but all-problems-were-caused-by-black-teens (you get what I'm saying), at least there should be solutions discussed or thrown around that acknowledge this reality. I don't exactly have a solution in mind - and in a sense it's irrelevant because, as I said earlier, political correctness is the end-all these days, and maybe there really isn't an answer, maybe these kinds of fairs don't work in areas like Cleveland Hts anymore, but it certainly doesn't hurt to go over different ideas and suggestions. Also, the Vancouver riot, and I could be wrong, was a one time thing. We, in the States, seem to have epidemics (look at the recent problems in Philly and Chicago). If there were multiple riots in Canada or it was an ongoing problem in some way, then yeah, perhaps they would need more stringent rules on sporting events. I think the Manchester team in England had to play for an empty stadium years due to unending violence/riots with fans. I've said my peace. At least at this particular forum regarding suburban crime.

^^And then there's that counter-argument. I'm saying every situation is unique and you have to look at the facts to assess a reasonable response. Pragmatism should be the goal, not political correctness. With airports, it makes no sense to screen white grandmothers who are 95. It does nothing to stem terrorism; hell, it doesn't even provide the illusion that we're any safer, so what benefit does it serve? When let's say virtually 100% of the terrorists match a certain profile, then there's no purpose in searching grandma. How does that particular search or feeling up some 6-year-old kid make you or me any safer? It serves no purpose other than to pretend we're all suffering together, or that we should all be blind to reality, or whatever the hell TSA is wasting our time with at airports. With the Coventry Street Fair, hell, there is no easy answer. But when you look at the major fairs that have been shut down in the Greater Cleveland area, and you see the same characters/instigators basically matching the same profile - let me guess, teenage/young adult, black, screaming, running in large groups, intimating, disrespectful to patrons, possibly violent, standing in front of traffic, lippy with cops, and so on - you can either pretend that it's racist to point out this fact (jeez, I wonder if I'll be called that in a post or two), or you can actually figure a way to prevent yet another major attraction from closing due to the actions of a few. This punish-everybody approach I just cannot comprehend.

It's more or less institutionalized anarchism in which lawlessness, antisocial, even downright sociopathic behavior is accepted, even encouraged, among certain households and individuals. How you rectify this in the real world is beyond me since our communities and country as a whole are terrified to take the necessary measures, or even approach the subject without carefully used rhetoric and empty, overarching, and ultimately silly measures, else be branded insensitive, xenophobes, or downright racist. Taking a punish-everybody approach will be about as effective as harassing 95-year-old white grandmothers in airports for security purposes. Yeah right. Political correctness has DECIMATED pragmatism and reality in our country, and we keep making up solutions that have nothing to do with the problems.

"Whatever happened to "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" That aspect of America has died along with the American dream - perhaps the two are the same thing ultimately. The amount of regression in our country has got to be up there at global historical levels.

^I like that. Very diplomatic and politically correct, but the point comes across pretty clearly.

Count me in!

Well, it's a bit draconian but what else can Cleveland Hts do? It's not like this problem will go away on it's own.

"And guess what! No muggings, fighting or Four Horsemen sightings!" LOL

Yeah, you probably did! And I'm not crazy about these recent 3pm doubleheaders. I'm starting to spend more money at Cropicana than Giant Eagle!

If anyone ever wants to play volleyball, I play with an informal group from 1-4 on Sundays, before the leagues show up. After, we go to cropicana for an hour or so. Best thing to do on a Sunday!

The most important aspect of a big city, at least at some level, is strong leadership from the mayor. Even if the economy is poor or other major issues trouble the city, a strong mayor can lend a certain credibility to the city and make it feel big and important. They need to have a certain stage presence (think Guiliani after 9/11), make the tough but necessary decisions to lead a city to remarkable financial success (think Franklin early in the 2000s or Royer in the 70s), and have a sense of business skill and proactiveness (think Daley or Bloomberg again). Think about the differences between Mayor White and Mayor of Jackson of Cleveland, how they presented themselves, how the looked and acted professional, how they spoke, their relationships with the business community and appreciation for the city's problems, and you gotta admit the city had a different feel of their tenures. You can have a million skyscrapers (think Detroit), but it's not really a big city unless there's true leadership.

North Coast Nostalgia. Barnes and Noble before it became Boneyard

Russian tea room and qzar back in the day

Frozen Custard on mayfield/brainard Red Square off Mayfield/Lander

Larchmere Festival this Saturday from 10-5. I meant to go last year but was unable. Looking forward to it. Might even enjoy a bottle of Shiraz and a piece of chocolate cake at Menu 6 that evening, it'll be a Larchmere-filled day.

1500-2000 teenagers screaming, pushing, and fighting kids is far from a few bad apples, and when you look at other local events and festivals (St. Patty's day, last year's Coventry Arts fair, 185th and Slavic Village fairs, Flats Riverfest (or whatever it was called back then), and so on) that have been affected, really terrorized, by this very large and out-of-control group, then we have a serious epidemic in town. And our politicians, alleged newspaper, and alleged community leaders pretend it isn't an issue. It's sickening.

I'm now hearing multiple people swear to me they heard shots yesterday at the Fair and the chaos on cleveland.com has been extremely unreported. This thing is definitely going to go the way of the E185 and Slavic Village fairs.

From James Vendeland MD, a volunteer at the Dittrick Museum... "Hidden on the 3rd floor of the Allen Medical Library (located at the corner of Adelbert & Euclid Ave. across from Severance Hall) is found a rare gem. It is the Dittrick Medical Museum, which contains 100,000 medical artifacts and has on exhibit the world's largest reproductive collection. The Museum also has one of the finest exhibits on medicine as practiced in 19th century America. I ought to know since I have been a volunteer at the Museum for the past 4 years and have worked on several of the Museum's collections. The Museum is open free to the public from Monday through Friday from 9am-4:30pm except for holidays. Walk-ins are encouraged, although tours can be arranged through Jennifer Nieves, Archivist/Museum Registrar (tel: 216-368-3648). If you are in the vicinity of University Circle/Case WRU and have half an hour to kill, please stop by the Museum. Just seeing the architecture of the building is a worthwhile experience. The Museum on the 3rd floor can be accessed by an elevator or by walking through the Allen Library on the balcony and taking stairs to the 3rd floor." I was just there last week - it's definitely a hidden gem here in Clev. A lot more fun and interesting material than you'd think. http://www.case.edu/artsci/dittrick/museum/

There were some kind of explosion-sounds out there last night after midnight: gunfire, car backfire, fireworks, who knows. I wonder if that's what you heard about.

Shaker Square is fine, though there are some hiccups here and there. Downtown is fine with rarely any hiccups. Little Italy is fine with basically no hiccups. Lakewood is fine with a few hiccupy neighborhoods. Basically, you'll be fine wherever you choose.

The Bingham is 100% filled? That is a pleasant surprise!

Little Italy is cheap and you can bus it right to CSU in, I dunno, 15 minutes or so. Go for it.

Yesterday there was a movie shooting at Shaker and Sulgrave in Beachwood, and they were looking for extras. Couldn't make it but still pretty cool--

Everything seems the same, including prices, from when it was sunset last year. Glad to see the same laid back atmosphere is there, with girls in bikinis and guys shirtless inside restaurant, plus people walking in and out the restaurant to the bar with alcohol, etc. The only place around here that I can think of that let's adults act like adults without bullsht rules. Always a good crowd, loud but friendly, families and young adults, lack of troublemakers

Quick funny clip with Wendy Malick. A tad not safe for work, but she really is a tremendous comic talent!