Old AmrapinVA

^^ I did a short stint working at National. Part of the problem, in my observation, with that station is that it's elevated and outdoors. Being from 'ol C-land, a little cold, well what DC folks think is cold, never stopped me from using the station to go to and from work. I think alot of people don't use it because you have to wait outdoors for a train. They want to stay warm by just jumping in a cab. The station is almost dead if it gets colder than 40 outside or there is any type inclement weather, especially in off-peak hours when you might have to wait 10 or 15 minutes for a train.

Small piece from the Akron Beacon Journal (Oct. 20th): Travelers on rise at Akron-Canton More people are using Akron-Canton Airport through the first nine months of this year than did last year. According to the latest statistics provided by the airport, passenger travel was up 2.6 percent despite a reduction in daily flights from 45 to 38. So far in 2006, 1,103,795 passengers used the airport compared with 1,075,781 in the same period last year. Overall airport operations -- takeoffs and landings -- were down 3.16 percent because of fuel cutbacks, airlines cutting service, such as Las Vegas flights, limited charter flights and reductions in seasonal service, such as flights to Fort Myers, Fla. More at http://www.ohio.com

I changed my mind and am agreeing with CMH_Downtown. That Airbus order is ridiculous. 65 A319's! 15 or 20 to start...not a bad idea. 65! This thing is done before it even starts.

Well that's what makes Fitch's statement so interesting. CLE will be OK even WITH another decline in connecting service. Makes me wonder if Mr. Smith is in open negotiations with carriers he had a relationship while being at BWI....i.e. British, Aer Lingus. And I still think Lufthansa would be a great fit with all us polocks in the Cleveland area. I wonder if Mr. Smith has woken up old CAL mgmt and that's why they're starting Paris. I bet there are some grand plans ahead for Hopkins. Mok who?

^^Let's give credit where credit is due, it has much more to do with Google than anything I searched. BTW, O&D traffic is pax traffic originating from and and departing to Cleveland. When you have 75% percent O&D traffic (and a 17% increase since FY'01)...it shows the CLE airport market is healthy and that even when you look at pax decline at Hopkins between 2001 and 2004...it had much more to do with CAL reducing their connceting schedule vs. the market economics of Cleveland. Fitch's review is very positive. Again, I have no idea what's happening in January....but I gotta believe it's bigger than redoing cab service.

Fitch Rates Cleveland, Ohio's 2006 A&B Airport System Revs 'A'; Outlook Stable Tuesday October 24, 4:19 pm ET SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fitch Ratings assigns an 'A' rating on the City of Cleveland, Ohio's airport system revenue bonds, series 2006, consisting of the following: $66,755,000 series 2006A (Non-AMT); $12,015,000 series 2006B (Taxable). Both series of bonds are an advance refunding targeted to achieve net present value savings. The series 2006 bonds are expected to price on a negotiated basis led by UBS Investment Bank on Nov. 1. Coinciding with this sale, $149 million of series 2000C variable-rate demand obligations will be converted to a fixed rate from a daily mode, thereby creating variable rate debt capacity. Fitch also assigns an 'A' rating to $947 million outstanding in parity revenue bonds. The Rating Outlook is Stable for all bonds. The City of Cleveland, Ohio's Department of Port Control operates Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) and Burke Lakefront Airport. Bondholder security is provided by net airport system operating revenues. Fitch's rating reflects the stable service area demographics of the Cleveland metropolitan statistical area (MSA), high origination and destination (O&D) passenger base (75% in FY2005), strong liquidity for an airport with a residual rate-making methodology, stable operating margin and proven ability to generate healthy non-airline revenue levels. Offsetting credit factors include CLE's high cost structure and lower than average utilization levels, market share dominance (61% in fiscal-year 2005) by Continental Airlines (IDR rated 'B-' with a Stable Outlook by Fitch) and connecting traffic levels. The airport system serves Northeast Ohio and the Cleveland MSA with a 2004 population of 2.9 million. Furthermore, the MSA's wealth levels are 110% and 104% of the state and nation, respectively. A strong stable population base is important, as CLE is primarily an O&D airport facility. While overall enplanement levels have stagnated since FY2001, the airport experienced a 17% increase in O&D passenger activity during this time period due to rising demand from the service area and the competitive response of airlines serving the airport to the introduction of low-cost air service at nearby Akron-Canton Regional Airport. However, connecting traffic declined by 37% during the period due to routing decisions made by Continental Airlines, which operates its smallest domestic connecting hub at CLE, following the downturn in passenger traffic in the aftermath of the events of Sept. 11, 2001. **That last statement is rather interesting. Kinda in the "things that make you go 'hmmmm'" category. Anyone know what's going to happen next year to make Hopkins look so great to Fitch? Is this the same reason why old CAL has had a change of heart and is now going forward with international expansion?**

^^ That's the problem with commonly held assumptions. The assumptions tend to stay the same, but the facts might change over time. That whole "Earth is flat" thing. It took some folks 300 years to come over to the other side. Ever think, things might be a changin'. But hey, this isn't open to debate becuase you and your engineering buddies said so. As for your Parma clap-trap, go see the other thread.

I never said that there weren't undeserving people that went to these institutions. But you've gotta admit there are also plenty of undeserving people that went there due to the fact that more deserving people couldn't pony up the cash to these institutions. There are only so many scholarships available at any institution. GWB went to Harvard Business School and he has trouble with verbal subject-verb agreement. Maybe he has a speaking disorder, but the guy just seems a bit slow to have gone there. But his dad was loaded. Awfully coincidental.

I'm really tired of this juvenile bullshit. I've been working my ass off since I was ten years old, delivering newspapers. Since then, I've bussed tables, washed dishes, worked at McDonald's, cooked in a few restaurants, and even waited tables for three years part-time AFTER I had a college-degree and a full-time job. Not bad for a guy from Maple Heights who put himself through Michigan, huh? Why do you insist on the personal attacks, Amrap? I am where I am because I took risks and worked my ass off. All you want is for others to feel sorry for you because you're from Parma, while attacking anyone who did anything beyond what was expected for their caste. Well, you can just kiss my ass, because I'm actually a pretty decent person. But it's so much easier to put labels on people because of WHAT they are instead of WHO they are, isn't it? Then please, please, please Dan stop firing off salvos and not expect someone to respond. I'll take the crap I said on the DC neighborhood threads, I started that. But you came on here and attacked the academic crediblilty of my alma mater. Don't expect me to sit around and watch you shoot your mouth off whenever it feels appropriate. You definitely think your opinions are the correct ones. Forgive me for stating them as possibly false. And for a guy who's worked at McD's, I'm amazed at the some of the attitudes you hold. I accept the fact I'm from Parma...and don't expect any f'n pity. I'm not ashamed from being there...but I am ashamed at some of the attitudes people hold from that place. You on the other hand, act like Crapitol Hill and DC's shit dosen't stink...when actually Maple Hts. and Parma for that matter are better places to live in many respects. But they do have fewer Starbucks per square mile. ;)

^^ Globalization cuts both ways. Hire idiots from 1st-tier schools, then get squashed by the employer that has competent 4th-tier school grads. Example: Bloggers from 4th-tier schools get scoops on stories over 1st-tier grads working at major newspapers. Publishers at these newspapers can't figure out why, they just keep hiring 1st-tier grads in hopes it will fix itself. Throw in blogs from other countries, and the US newspaper industry is doing an excellent job of driving themselves out of business, all because most of the publishers can't see past the 'college list'. BTW, when you said you worked with 'uneducated' people....WTF does that mean? Please don't tell me you mean people that have a HS diploma. There's alot of education that goes into that document alone.

Just for fun, why does Michigan State blow? That US News and World Report list has done more damage to more schools and their graduates than they even know.

WTF, that's NOT Manhattan. ;) Nice Pics.

That's right Dan. How can some dumbasses from Toledo be better at engineering than snobs from the Boston/San Francisco Area. I mean, come on, a top quality engineering school should have at least four Starbucks near campus. Good to hear Crapital Hill views haven't changed in the 10+ years I've been living here. ;)

I couldn't have said the last paragraph better myself. As lower middle-class kid from Parma....Harvard wasn't an option even with good test scores. So I ended up going to OSU. Some of you guys are Grade A snobs. It's a 'joke' school if you have general admissions? What should be the cutoff for family income for kids to go to 'real' college? $100k? $200K? Instead of going from college straight to a white collar job (*cough, DaninDC*), some of you folks needed to get a ramp job at an airline or deliver pizzas just to get a little perspective on how foolish your statements sound. Too late now I guess. There are millions (yes, millions) of kids that would be happy to go to a Cleveland State or UT type school but can't afford it for many different reasons. But why go if their school is now 4th-tier? Shit, just go to the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. I worry how many idiotic employers use these school standards to brush off better qualified people in order to have retards from 1st-tier schools. I bet there are plenty. Proof: Look at the employment record of the guy living on 1600 Pa. Ave., NW. :)

I agree with ya Dan. It's an incredible waste of $$. And the line wouldn't end at Dulles...it's proposed to go all the f'n way out to Ashburn. The Purple loop line that gets no press...would make 10 times more sense.

How about this bad boy below, with a few more 'Chinese food boxes'. It could serve two purposes: Fill in old PS, and increase awareness of Cleveland's Chinatown:

^^ I live right by where the extention would run. WestGroup owns a fair amount of building and land around Tysons, in which they never stop giving away to companies to build mid-rise office buildings. My guess -- Developers like WestGroup will keep building office/apartment buildings along the Dulles Access/Toll road in hopes this 'Silver Line' will get built. It won't. North Fairfax County will have Bangkok-like traffic by 2015. In turn Fairfax County will start losing population by 2020. Those folks buying homes in ever growing Loudoun County will get the real shaft though. Unless they get more business to go out there...that may be the fastest boom to bust county in American history.

Thanks I forgot about that....and we could house three...maybe four casinos in there. Screw Detroit and their Midwest casino monopoly! :)

Aw c'mon...lets be like Bob Stark and think big. How about a 2,000 ft.-150 story building. We could put the convention center in there. And TWO hotels. How about three "Windows on the World". Six grocery stores. The Cavs practice facility could move back from Independence. We could build a lighthouse on top....and a helipad...hell, lets build a new airport runway up there. We could cover the building in Japanese billboards and have gigantic Pokemon waving at folks down on Public Square. But a dome on top of the lighthouse and have one helluva New Year's celebration. Is Cleveland a city...or a CITY, damn it!?! ;)

^ LOL, yeah, it's a bit spread out to say the least. I forgot the Van Wyck veers a bit to the east of FMP and the Grand Central rolls through there. That area is bottleneck freeway hell. Now any Jamaica pics w/o the Van Wyck, is like Paris w/o the Eiffel Tower. Got a question...do you know the name of that giant cemetery off the LIE where the Brooklyn/Queens Expwy. merges? That cemetery makes Arlington, VA seem spacious in comparison.

WTF....any shots of Flushing aren't complete without the LIE and the Van Wyck. Although those two walking by the Queens Museum of Art make up for the expwy. shots. That dude's hair looks like it is straight out of "Goodfellas".

Staight - Married + girlfriend :-D

Ah yes, Chevy Chase....always catering to those middle class folk. Only a matter of time before they put gates up on Connecticut Ave. to keep the 'riff-raff' out. If you do happen be in the the DC area, I recommend the Annandale K-Mart. Hot Korean babes galore, and no pretentiousness at all. Of course I am from Parma. :)

Now I'm really confused. How can Cincinnati have the privilige of having a flagship store because Federated is HQ'd there, if every city from Akron to Albequerque now has a flagship Macy's? Mind you, not a 'flagship' Macy's, but a flagship Macy's. What's the privilige? I think the orginial post meant that Cincy had a 'flagship' Macy's? Am I wrong? Jesus, maybe this I why I shop at K-Mart. I don't think too many cities tout their flagship or 'flagship' K-Mart that much. ;)

Just out of curiosity, what do you guys think of "Pesht" becoming a reality? Rating it from 0-10..where 0 is nothing gets built....to 10 where the entire idea gets built and really transforms downtown...where do you folks think this is at right now?