JDD941

I am not pro war, but for sh!t sakes..what do you think is going to happen when you launch rockets at someone? Yes, we all know the dispute of whose land it is or is not, but the simple fact is the Jews are there as well as the Palistinians, nobody is leaving at this point..deal with it and move on. For all the good Hamas does :roll:, the people of Palistine need to get THAT group out and maybe things would be a little different...

from Cleveland.com Cleveland's first homicide of 2009 happened just after midnight Cleveland's first homicide of 2009 occurred about 50 minutes into the new year when a 26-year-old Cleveland man was shot on Alice Ave., police said. Djuan V. Newsome apparently received a single shotgun wound to the head at 12:51 a.m., around the corner from Malibu Joe's Bar on E. 71st. Officers are interviewing witnesses to the shooting.

JMasek, Please read my post six posts back.

David, I have never met you nor do I know you...but I feel the need to fight you for posting that! :-D

Posted on the Healthline page as well: Okay, I rode the healthline for the first time last night to go from Public Square to Sergio's in University Circle... The Shelter on the South side of the square was nice but open on each side which gave no relief to the wind. It was pretty cold last night, which made me wonder why the heat lamps were not installed in the shelters with the winter climate we have here. We figured we would buy two tickets from the machine in the shelter. One machine had signage saying "please pay on-board", the other machine did not, so we figured the one machine was broken and bought from the other. Like many of you on this site, I have been to Chicago and NYC many times. The RTA machines are not nearly as easy to use. The Metrocard machines in NYC are touch screen and are easy to understand what you are buying without having to go into many different steps. We had to go through many steps, scroll out of buying disabled/senior tickets, try to figure out the many different buttons on the ride side of the screen before we finally made the purchase. We purchased (2) tickets which cost $8. We boarded the bus, went to dip the tickets and the driver said it was okay and not to worry. The ride to UC was nice and quick, the bus was smooth and comfortable...basically a nice ride. The signage for the stops in the bus were nice as well was the automated voice for stops. Dinner was nice! Afterwards we made it to the stop just in time to catch the bus (thank God because we were cold!). As we boarded the bus, I dipped my ticket and the driver said the ticket was no good! She said it was a one way ticket and we had already used it. We explained that we bought the tickets and never even dipped them on the first ride. We explained we THOUGHT we bought round trip tix and we paid $8 for the two tickets. She had NO CLUE as to what we could have purchased because all day passes are $4.50 each, not $4, and that the tickets said $2 on them. She then asked if we bought the tickets at the machine, to which we replied yes. She told us that the machine are not reliable and don't work correctly most of the time and it is best to always buy tickets on-board!!! She believed our story and let us ride back to the square. But what if she didn't!?! That would have meant we got ripped off for a $4 ticket that apparently doesn't even exist! It is sad to me that these machines are so confusing compared to others I have used and we are basically still forced to buy tickets ON the bus! I would like to thank operator 00571 (Judy) on bus 2909, Sat night at approx 2130 hrs, for being so helpful and pleasent...I hope those at RTA can let her know that helpful actions like that make the difference in keeping repeat riders.

Okay, I rode the healthline for the first time last night to go from Public Square to Sergio's in University Circle... The Shelter on the South side of the square was nice but open on each side which gave no relief to the wind. It was pretty cold last night, which made me wonder why the heat lamps were not installed in the shelters with the winter climate we have here. We figured we would buy two tickets from the machine in the shelter. One machine had signage saying "please pay on-board", the other machine did not, so we figured the one machine was broken and bought from the other. Like many of you on this site, I have been to Chicago and NYC many times. The RTA machines are not nearly as easy to use. The Metrocard machines in NYC are touch screen and are easy to understand what you are buying without having to go into many different steps. We had to go through many steps, scroll out of buying disabled/senior tickets, try to figure out the many different buttons on the ride side of the screen before we finally made the purchase. We purchased (2) tickets which cost $8. We boarded the bus, went to dip the tickets and the driver said it was okay and not to worry. The ride to UC was nice and quick, the bus was smooth and comfortable...basically a nice ride. The signage for the stops in the bus were nice as well was the automated voice for stops. Dinner was nice! Afterwards we made it to the stop just in time to catch the bus (thank God because we were cold!). As we boarded the bus, I dipped my ticket and the driver said the ticket was no good! She said it was a one way ticket and we had already used it. We explained that we bought the tickets and never even dipped them on the first ride. We explained we THOUGHT we bought round trip tix and we paid $8 for the two tickets. She had NO CLUE as to what we could have purchased because all day passes are $4.50 each, not $4, and that the tickets said $2 on them. She then asked if we bought the tickets at the machine, to which we replied yes. She told us that the machine are not reliable and don't work correctly most of the time and it is best to always buy tickets on-board!!! She believed our story and let us ride back to the square. But what if she didn't!?! That would have meant we got ripped off for a $4 ticket that apparently doesn't even exist! It is sad to me that these machines are so confusing compared to others I have used and we are basically still forced to buy tickets ON the bus! I would like to thank operator 00571 (Judy) on bus 2909, Sat night at approx 2130 hrs, for being so helpful and pleasent...I hope those at RTA can let her know that helpful actions like that make the difference in keeping repeat riders.

interesting read: http://www.uc.edu/cas/firescience/reflibrary/Ohio%20Residency.pdf

Tried match.com just for kicks, met girls from different cities because distance worked for me! (no commitment) Met a certain girl from Queens, dated for a few years with distance...now she is here and we are married with a 10 month old son! :) Internet dating is no different than "real" life....it just broadens your playing field...

Three sport letterman in football, basketball, and track in high school...played summer baseball (Medina Buckeye)...went on to letter in track at Kent State, then transferred to the University of Akron and played football and ran track.

People that drive slow in the left lane on the highway, people that drive the same exact speed as the person next to them on the highway, people that don't know to stop at an intersection when a street light is out...AND...people that think the words THEN and THAN are interchangable!!!

November 4, 2008 City of Lima, Ohio v. Case No. 08-0128 State of Ohio NOTICE OF ORAL. ARGUMENT TO: Anthony L. Geiger Benjamin C. Mizer The Supreme Court of Ohio will hold an oral argument on the merits in this case on Tuesday, January 20, 2009. Time allowed for oral argument will be 15 minutes per side: Attorneys who argue before the Court must comply with the provisions of Rule IX of the Rules of Practice of the Supreme Court of Ohio and the instructions that follow. Pursuant to Rule IX, Section 3, counsel for either or both parties may waive oral argument and submit the case upon briefs. The Clerk must be notified in writing of the waiver at least seven days before the date scheduled for the oral argument. Court convenes promptly at 9 a.m. Counsel in all cases are expected to be present when court convenes. Counsel must register with the Chief Deputy Clerk prior to 8:45 a.m. at the information desk outside the Courtroom on the first floor of the Ohio Judicial Center. For more information on protocol for presenting oral argument before the Suprerne Court of Ohio, counsel may refer to the "Guide for Counsel Presenting Oral Argument" located at www.sconet.state.oh.us/Clerk of Court. Note: Assignments in the Supreme Court take precedence over other assignments. KRISTINA D. FROST CLERK CHIEF DEPUTY CLERK http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/Clerk_of_Court/eCMS/resultsbycasenumber.asp?type=3&year=2008&number=0418&myPage=searchbycasenumber%2Easp http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/Clerk_of_Court/eCMS/resultsbycasenumber.asp?type=3&year=2008&number=0128&myPage=searchbycasenumber%2Easp

David...wow...don't even know where to begin about that post...I wouldn't bet the bank that all you read in that article is fact.

Is there any possibility that the MM could be incorporated into the Jacobs property on the square, simliar to the NYC idea, then whichever site the city chooses for a convention center would be near the MM? Am I wrong in thinking or does the MM have to be connected to the CC?

They are NOT mopeds!!! :-D

Had a dual sport bike..it was a crappy street bike and a crappy dirt bike..sold it and got a Harley...sold that and got a scooter. I LOVE my scooter! If any of you people South of Clevo have trouble finding a scooter...try www.clevelandscooters.com a HUGE showroom :)

I voted a big fat yes on Sat! For those that are against this issue because of moral reason....start working on getting rid of state lotto, instant lotto, church casino nights, bingo, and the dreaded alcohol! All these things within a poor persons walk in their neighborhood....not a drive to a resort.

I wish I could hire Joe Plumber and Joe six pack and all of "my friends" to teach Sarah that the word is nuclear...not nucular!!!! Gotta love the catch phrases, scripted responses, mean spirited attacks, and the non thought out and non descriptive answers.... PLEASE vote OBAMA!!!!

^ WAs JUST thinking about that plan earlier this morning again KJP, damnit git r done!

Not saying you wouldn't touch the subject, KJP, but it's how the subject is covered. If I were a reporter (which I am not), I would want to talk to multiple councilpeople, EMS union, and the Fire Union to get a multidimensional viewpoint. On top of that, I would want to do some investigative work as to how the proposed merger would be implemented, how other cities have done it (or how they run a dual service department), and the possible monetary savings. As I have stated before Fire has an estimated 900 uniformed members (all EMT trained and roughly 150 paramedic trained) EMS has about 300 uniformed members. Two services that provide emergency medical responses for the city, most of the time, both services are sent to the same incident. Both services have their own dispatch system and their own supervisors. Why not merge the systems into ONE service? You could start by having one streamlined supervisor system and one dispatch system (already that would save money) Second, you could put all members in one service, so all members would be on the same page and work under the same guidelines. Paramedics could remain paramedics only and those that would like could be cross trained as firefighters as well. Through attrition, all new hires would have to be firefighters and paramedics. To work on an ambulance for a 24 hour shift would be grueling, so like some cities do, the medic could work part of the shift on the EMS unit and the other part on an engine or ladder truck (Akron does this). I believe this would severely cut back on the current EMS employee turnover rate, which would save money for constant hiring and retraining. At first there would be growing pains, but in the (not so) long run, the city would be able to do more work with less employees and duplication. Cities such as Columbus, Cincinnati, Akron, Philly, Seattle, LA, Phoenix, Boston, NYC...the list goes on and on...all have a merged system...so why wouldn't it work in Cleveland? If facts show a savings in money and a more efficient system, then my question as a reporter would have to be WHY isn't the city implementing this? This is just a quick summary of what could be done, but it should give an idea of what could be done to save the city money and still provide a first class service.

^ Yet another reason to merge Fire and EMS into one service. Let the current EMS workers remain medics only and cross train those that would want to do both aspects of the job. New hires would be required to do both jobs. There are already 150 paramedic trained firefighters (out of 900) on the CFD (including myself) and the rest are EMT trained. This would stop duplication of services (dual response to the same incident), duplication of officers in charge, duplication of dispatching, would put ambulances at fire stations which are already strategically placed, would ultimately cut down in payroll and number of people needed to do the job. Why hasn't Cleveland done what most major cities have done and have a merged service? Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe we should ask our coucilperson why they haven't taken a step to save money and provide a better service for the city of Cleveland. It seems the media will NOT touch this subject because it is too political. It's unfortunate that there is not enough backbone by the media to report this kind of story for fear of political fallout. The biggest problem the city has with Fire and Police is that the testing is a civil service process, while EMS has the ability to appoint a candidate. In short, race and gender issues come into play. It's too bad that such an issue should come into play when it comes to safety and fiscal soundness of our city.

^ The City schools and their programs are just as good or better than their suburban counterparts? Really? So the fact that Cleveland Public Schools are rated near the bottom in every category is somehow a conspiracy by the state against Cleveland? I am a city employee, I see the schools and problems that are there. I went to public school in Medina County, got an excellent education, participated in good athletic programs, didn't fear physical violence in or around my school, went on to college and graduated with a degree in education...end even went on to be a sub in CPSD. All these experiences combined are why my father has my stepson during the schoolyear in Medina county. My wife, who moved here almost two years ago from NYC (Queens) was appalled by the ratings of the Cleveland Public Schools. Her son went to public schools in Woodside, Queens. As far as he is concerned, he LOVES his new school. He goes to a school which was rated "excellent" by the state, has good athletic programs, and most important feels safe at school. Raising a child in the city can be a great experience, but not the ONLY experience. We, as a family, like Cleveland. Hell, his "urban" experience of living in NYC is greater than even that of Cleveland. He misses some things about urban living, but he honestly says he would never want to go back to school in the city. As far as the "they were good enough for me" argument goes...for MY children, I don't want what was good enough for me...I want better.

mj1403, I am just curious as to how many kids you have, and if you have any, where do you send them to school? I think it is a VERY valid arguement about children and the city of Cleveland. Not every city has such crappy schools as Cleveland. I know I would never send my children to Cleveland public schools in the state they are in now, and I will not be the experiment to see IF things turn around. As for private schools, not everyone has the money for them. So what are your choices? I can understand why someone would want their tax dollars going to a public school system that you can actually send your children to. It's not a matter of raising children in the city, it's a matter of raising children in a city that has a decent educational system. You think that is ignorance?

^ I am sure this has been asked before KJP, but has YOUR plan ever been oficially proposed to anyone at ODOT or the City of Cleveland? If not...why the heck not? If so, what kind of response did you receive? I think your plan needs to somehow be presented to the public to get some backing! (other than on UO)

^^ I applaud this because I DO work for the city...I DO have children..and now that I do, I would like to give them the same opportunity that was given me...good public schools. ^ Why should I have to pay the average income tax? I don't do that now as a renter. Let's face it, the people who bitch about city employees that have used the american judicial system to try to change what we perceive as an injustice are usually A) Younger people that haven't lived enough life to understand that changes that occur in life B) Empty nesters and or gays that don't TRULY understand the difficulties or raising a child (ren)....(not meant as a shot, but rather from what I gather) C) People that cannot or do not want to move Why should I follow a law that the safety director enforces, but yet he DOES NOT live in the city? (he wasn't grandfathered, he was retired, THEN rehired. Why are some people allowed out, but others not? Why do teachers not have to live in the city? Mayor Jackson claimed he wanted Cleveland to be a "city of choice"..so let us choose. Why should the perceived economic status of the city be the burden of it's employees? Let the city make it a livable place. Not all cities have residency restrictions, yet somehow they seem to do fine.(Look to Columbus and how they do it) I know.."if you don't like it, go to another city"..why should I? I like working in the city of Cleveland, I HAVE worked for another city that had no residency (Lakewood)and came here. I know the other arguement...how can I do my job effectively when I don't live in the city I work. Well my friends, I do this job for the passion of what I do, not because it's just a job...no matter WHERE I live. In fact, where I work and where I live IN the city are two different worlds. I have absolutely nothing in common with the neighborhood in which I work, but I still do my job to the fullest. So if it's the need to feel safe or secure to live next to a police officer or firefighter..if the supreme court upholds the law, then you are more than welcome to move next to me wherever it may be.

Why wait til the last minute? Doesn't make sense...oh well, too bad so sad. :clap: If the City of Cleveland deserves a pass like Westlake, then maybe city employees of Cleveland deserve a pass like Westlake's employees...they don't have residency restrictions, yet they seem to be doing fine. In fact, I know a few Westlake safety service employees that don't live in the city, yet low and behold, they actually DO care about their work.