Etheostoma Caeruleum

Love this place...best time for me to go is during the week when hardly anyone is there. I designed the aquarium exhibit in the visitor center. Haven't been there in a while so its probably a mess by now. (aquarium)

The projects north of Detroit off 25th in OC are a breeding ground for problems. All the time police and ambulance are visiting there. This is an area that if some higher rises were built, would have spectacular views of the lake. Instead, it is what it is...a toilet.

Don't forget... a food co-op with a goal of a 2011 opening. I have atended a few meetings and will go to the next.

I sent the idea to two places to see if it would catch on.... K&D..never heard back.. Cleveland Public Art... Never heard back. maybe others here can suggest it and have better luck. I can envision how nice this would look.

How about the Rosetta deal? Stolen from the suburbs. That does not help. Any 22 year old minorities without high school diplomas working there? These people need jobs desperately. So we should do all we can to roll out the red carpet of freebies to big business that will "save us all?" How about investing in communities and giving more incentives and breaks for smaller independent enterprises (and I don't mean 500 employees constituting something "small!" as some may think compared to mega giants) which are the backbone of the economy...and collectively, will add the economic diversity that breeds economic stability...and will employ just as many people as one bigger giant. We build around and depend on one or a few in this economy, then we all fall down if they fall. I don't want to walk that road either, and that is the road some want to take...the "mega-corporate welfare" road. That doesn't work either. How about establishing some balance.

I completely feel for what you're saying here and agree with it... There is one thing, however, that I am annoyed to admit, and it is the fact that people who feel the same as we do about this...the whole "our economy is linked to LeBron..bla..bla..bla" stuff... in that we know better..that we're a lot more than sports, seem to be, at least in the eyes of media, a minority. It is a truism that many people here in this area don't have a clue of what their city/region has to offer--and essentially, actually DO think that if the sports teams fail we fail..... And in some cases as in downtown, many businesses would do less because we are currently building downtown too much around nightlife/fancy bar scenes that often do get a lot of piggy back business from the sports crowd. I want to see this change. Will we fall in a way ESPN makes it look? Of course not, but every legend has a basis of truth and this one is no exception. And, this is exactly why we cannot and should not limit ourselves to making downtown just eateries/bars and such which often have many depending on the sports crowd. We need to promote more economic diversity that will breed the stability that will result in a scenario that if the sports teams are not doing well....who cares?...we have a lot of many other dimensions that pick up the pieces around here. One example, there is not enough shopping in the core. Still, we do have plenty more going for us. You, me... and many others here already KNOW that we DO have a lot more going for us than the sports scene alone, BUT, at the same time, there are too many who are NOT aware of this fact, and these are the people's minds we need to change. Mainstream media has not helped this cause as they have fostered and exacerbated the mentality that has ESPN spewing all this crap. But like I said, if we do not aggressively make downtown more than mostly a lot of sports oriented bars/restaurants/clubs... then we will simply secure that stereo type and economically typecast ourselves. I have a ranting blog and funny you should bring this up, because I just wrote something about the idea that many think the whole world will collapse if our teams do. See www.qualitychatter.com At the core, I agree with you and we need to work to change the attitudes that promote this idea. We are more than a shot and a beer town and much of what we have is simply taken for granted. I would write to ESPN... Not an email, but a real letter. Hopefully others will do the same because with all the passion/enthusiasm that is pro-Cleveland on this forum, it is a shame if it goes to waste if we preach to the choir. LeBron saving downtown/Cleveland? This is absurd! There are hundreds of unsung heroes in this town doing a lot of things to make it better..promoting a lot, yet we never hail them as heroes. For instance, I would HATE to think what it would look like here if we didn't have all the great volunteers on River-sweep, on DCA Downtown Advocates program, block clubs, neighborhood associations, small independent unique businesses, etc..etc.. All are working to improve quality of life in this city and make it more attractive. What has LeBron got to do with any of this positive stuff? Point being, there are a lot here who contribute who never get the recognition. To me, these are the real saviors of a city, and hence why we need to look for heroes and championships in other forms. I would like James to stay, but I am not about to prostitute myself out to an athlete or bank on one to 'save us' That is just plain stupid and a testament to the fact we need to get the priorities right and broaden economic horizons. A city needs to be great even if no sports teams existed and I think we can.

Did anyone notice the article in the PD about area restaurants participating in composting? Very interesting and important..as so much can be cut out of the waste stream by doing this simple thing. The article is online.

E.79th & Union. :laugh:

I actually wish we had a wax museum downtown.

I have thought about this idea. I have come to the conclusion that things don't have to be this way and that it is a pity that this is what seemingly becomes of the human race when they're not with something to do (job)--resort to all the negative. Again, I don't think it has to be that way. Just because a given place is poor, does not mean that it has to be this reality we are conditioned to think is reality. (our reality) I have been to low income and poorer neighborhoods overseas (western culture) and have found many of them to be much cleaner and safer feeling than the typical blighted area in the US. (not that there are not problems or are perfect) The general feeling was that people have little, and therefore are proud of what little they have and want to keep it in reasonable good condition. Although I certainly acknowledge the need, at the same time....I don't care how much money and jobs we throw around thinking it will be the end all solution...Such is not always the cure all. We also need to spend it to try and re-instill a sense of civic pride and/or self respect, and respect for others, in people and re-introduce the idea of parenting/guidance that steers future generations away from falling prey to the forces of the darkside. A job and pocket full of cash alone should not be what it takes to improve the human character deep within. Common example... Look how many pro-athletes have their job....and all the money they can handle, but many still end up getting into serious trouble. Its a lot about lack of character and learned inappropriate behavior that one is taught is acceptable, when in actuality it is abnormal and cultivated from dysfunction, and not out of something socially redeeming. It is often easier to glamorize such dysfunctional/inappropriate/illegal behavior and lower the standards to make it appear cool. Marketing is really good at this sort of thing. Let's spend more money trying to fix that. A job alone/in itself, although an important element in our economic culture.... does not suddenly do the complete whole magic trick. As a race, (and this means ALL of us) humans need to learn to not self destruct because times are tough. When you clean up the person inside and show them their purpose...and that resorting to crime is NOT the only option, you will have a better/wiser people. When you do that, you will plant important and often ignored seeds into having better neighborhoods as a result. Until then, we can also curb the kiddies being born into a life with no parental or any other guidance. How many times have I witnessed tots walking around n sidewalks at 1:00 AM in the morning in diapers with no one around! Its all a touchy issue but certainly important and I am not saying I grasp the answers, but just appraising it from personal experiences and observations. I cannot ignore such important lessons. Great photos, buy the way...lots of gems here.

^ I agree. Can you say that a hundred more times!

The following message from Highlands Sanctuary. It is a fantastic program and a gorgeous place in Ohio, if you have never been there. It is something we can be proud of. Just to note, There is HUGE difference between "state parks" and natural preserves and I do not even want to think about what would become of these areas if landed in the hands of the division of parks. Just see the photos on the Edgewater Clean-up thread to get an idea. As a general rule of thumb, the advantages of keeping more preserves in the state in rural areas means that much less sprawl and hence turning more focus on developing the cores of our cities. Anyway, here is the note I am forwarding. Hope some people out there will care enough to help out. Woodland Sprawl E-Magazine for the Arc of Appalachia Preserve System www.arcofappalachia.org Urgent Message -- Ohio's Natural Areas Poised for Demise Dear Friends, We've written to you in the recent past regarding the serious financial situation confronting the state's natural areas. Since we last shared news with you on this topic, the Division of Natural Areas and Preserves has been dismantled as a separately operating Division due to budget shortfalls. The remaining nine full-time staff members administering and overseeing the state's nature preserves (89 of which are open to the public) have been moved into the Division of Parks and Recreation. Funding for the program is scheduled to cease on July 1, 2010, just weeks away. The Department of Natural Resources has a proposal to find a short-term solution, and is supporting Senate Bill 181, a coal bill which has a rider which would enable the Department to use some of its natural area tax check-off money for natural area operating expenses until December 2011. This step, if approved, will buy valuable time for the ONLY state agency dedicated to natural area protection, and keep valuable staff in place to help facilitate a transitional plan that might serve to save our valuable state nature preserves. The Arc of Appalachia Preserve System supports the Department with this plan. The bill goes to a vote next week in both the House and the Senate. It is URGENT that you contact your representative and senator immediately, not later than EARLY NEXT WEEK to voice your support. Although tax check-off money was previously earmarked only for land acquisition, if the remaining natural area staff members lose their jobs, there will be no staff left to buy more land, and no staff left to administer the fine lands already within the system. To the best of our knowledge, if this bill doesn't pass, on July 1st the last of the natural area staff members will lose their jobs, and the state mission for biodiversity preservation will be functionally moribund. It imperative to speak out. You can help by a) contacting your senator and representative immediately and asking them to support the natural area rider, and Senate Bill 181. b) send the attached postcard out to the Governor TODAY Thank you for your valuable time.

I agree with 327 when he indicates how underrated this part of the city is. In this area, if many people who were like minded in revitalizing the place, like many on the forum for example, banded together..... well...all of you could almost purchase a street of distressed houses... live in them and establish a pioneering effort of new residents coming in at one time who want to see improvement in the neighborhood. It would help establish more solid presence of such effort in the residential sector. Form a block watch too.

"At first I was afraid I was petrified..... Thinking I could no longer live without you by my side..." Good words of advice by Gloria Gaynor!

^ Woah! I agree!!!

I didn't mean it literally.....It was figuratively speaking and I was trying to illustrate that this area places way too much emphasis on sports as defining who/what it is all about---And if they're bad, we end up all feeling crummy, that the world is ending...that our city is worthless, etc... and feel like we can never be anything else. This attitude DOES exist and its very dysfunctional. My post also offered choices to test where the priorities of people are, and if it is sports they chose, then it just proves my point. If we're relying on this stuff this much to be a major part of defining who we are, then we're just setting ourselves up to be condemned to a lifetime of misery. Time to get a new gig. And I say this as someone who was and still is, in a sense a die hard Cleveland sports fan, but realize it is not the only element that we need to be building all our happiness and city around. Personally, I would rather be a cutting edge (in the items I mentioned in my original post) city in other ways, than have a championship. That is all second priority. If the whole of the city's success rides on whether a given sports team is doing well or LeBron stays... I say that is scary as hell, because it is setting a place up for eventual failure. Diversity breeds stability. I know this is slaughtering a sacred cow, but it needs to be done....and after it was clear this team quit on a city...and a coaching effort that was terrible, now is he time to look beyond. We can be "champions" in so many other ways!

Ok, sure... I am disgusted, just as much as anyone else....but here is my silver lining in all this madness.....Like I said before..........the "civic pride gods" and maybe the sports ones too... will not let Cle. win a championship until it defines/identifies itself with something else, stops investing so much of its emotions around how well the sports teams are doing, stops looking for heroes in sports figures.....and works on all the other things that should make a city and its people great. Seriously folks..there ARE simple too many people here in this area who think that if we're not good in sports, then we're nothing. Just look at some Cle dot bomb comments.... Here's an interesting thought..... If you could wave a magic wand and you had two choices... 1. Having a championship....the other, 2. Having Cleveland instantly become expanded in rail service from light rail to extended rail reaching the whole n.e. Ohio area.... and a monorail and/or maybe a streetcar service linking downtown and adjacent neighborhoods, and people riding it and suddenly becoming a more rail oriented population.... and known for the best rail transportation in the country. Or how about a choice between Cleveland suddenly becoming a world renowned role model in environmental recovery and stewardship that would have us recognized as one of the cleanest cities in North America...and erase the thought of any burning river joke in the minds of anyone in the nation...and if this suddenly attracted many 'green collar' jobs as a result.... Or a championship... What would you take? The answer should suggest where priorities are and if they solely focus on sports, than that is a big problem that limits the potential diversity in who we are... and all we can be. The whole point is that in times like these, we need to look for other things or we're setting ourselves up for a lifetime of heartbreak.

And the countdown to the end begins.....

The wall does look better, however, it was never meant to be an exposed wall so I was just thinking that it was too much of a contrast against the facade. I suppose if lots of trees are planted it will improve the look, although I do like my suggestion of the huge hanging banner (Like the LeBron James one) that would be a montage (or collage, or whatever it is called) tribute/testament/homage to the history of all the great department stores along Euclid. It could be in sepia with dates, bullet point interesting facts and some classic looking art paintings/drawings of the buildings. It would also allow the wall to breathe.

School kids littering. Such forced me to have a one on one with a principal and some teachers.

Clean up crime/perception....don't tolerate/allow it to drive good residents/business away, and that means getting involved with community. Should be the opposite....good drives away bad. The act isn't that simple, but the formula really is.

Notice how the headline said not just The Cleveland Convention Center.. But they had to add "OLD" Just seems like they cannot resist any chance to dash in any tiny bit of negative tone to something. I'm probably reading in too deeply, tough. But then again, I didn't know we had a "new" one either! :wink:

I like this project because it promotes physical fitness for a change instead of something geared around eating and sitting.... in a time we need it badly.

Strike early..and hard. Remove crowd from game and especially that irritating PA announcer. Then make adjustments FAST at any early sign of trouble like Mo Williams getting burned all the time. LeBron...please show you still have a pulse and find some other way to contribute if you're hurting.... If you're not....Now is not the time to demonstrate that you're tired of carrying the team. Such behavior is infantile and so disrespectful for the fans and innocent others who have supported you through thick and thin. You're the captain of the sinking ship. What better way/time than to show a power surge and remind everyone about who this team is....win the next two games, for C-Sakes!

Go back in this thread and look at some of the ideas for those walls.... Interesting.