Avogadro

Deficit might open up state parks to drilling Lease payments on wells could offer Ohio much-needed cash Monday, January 17, 2011 02:52 AM By Spencer Hunt THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Ohio's oil and gas industry has unsuccessfully pushed for years to drill in the state's parks, forests and preserves. But its prospects could change. Faced with a projected $8 billion budget deficit and an estimated $560 million backlog of overdue repairs at state parks, the new director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources says he's "open" to the idea of drilling on 600,000 acres many thought were protected from exploitation. "It's something we would consider and review," David Mustine said. "At this point, we don't want to close out any option." More at: http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/01/17/copy/deficit-might-open-up-drilling.html?adsec=politics&sid=101

That's puzzling. Well done for the Reds to avoid any possibility for arbitration over the next few years, but it seems an awfully steep price to not hurt Joey's feelings while not getting any years beyond those they control already. Were they to go through three years of arbitration, I doubt they would have paid more than $10M/year each time.

And the Tribe avoids salary arbitration yet again: Cleveland Indians sign Shin-Soo Choo to one-year, $3.975 million deal to stay arbitration free once again CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Shin-Soo Choo and agent Scott Boras promised to be a tough hurdle to clear if the Indians were going to avoid arbitration for the 20th consecutive year, but GM Chris Antonetti got it done. Choo signed a one-year, $3.975 million deal before the 1 p.m. deadline to exchange salary figures. Choo made $461,100 last year. http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2011/01/cleveland_indians_sign_shin-so.html

I'd like to see that reported somewhere other than plunderbund.com Has it been reported anywhere else? Or is plunderbund the only blog in the world with access to Scribd.com? This is the makings of the scandal if it's true and Gov. Scrooge McDuck is writing checks for his buddies on a whim. I suspect there's more to this story. http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2011/01/kasich_top_staffers_earn_more.html

Sorry, MTS, but you are totally wrong. While the Ohio Revised Code grants counties the authority to establish a regional transit authority (see: http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/306), it is not a state agency in any way, shape, or form. It neither takes direction from the governor nor the state legislature, and is no more a state agency than metropolitan park systems are. It is independent from Cuyahoga County, even though the commissioners (and now, presumably, the executive and county council) appoint board members; how this will now take place will be determined. (EDIT: It is like saying that counties are "state agencies." These are political subdivisions of the state, but are not controlled by the state.)

^True that. It's probably good that you don't have the Things around to help you answer your phone; Pugu would probably be disappointed with the bananas and live chicken that you would deliver. ;-) My brother is coming to town for the week, and every time he does, I manage to gain five pounds from taking him to all of the bars and restaurants. Knowing that the Beer Engine is open for after Christmas dinner drinks is A Big Damn Problem.

It's a Christmas Miracle!

If you don't feel like Asian food on Christmas, I believe that Bar Cento is open year-round, including on Christmas. Likewise, you might do well with hitting a Jewish deli, but Christmas also falls on Saturday, so that would rule out the Orthodox-run places.

For the benefit of the non-Cleveland UrbanOhioans, could you edit your subject line so that it refers to Cleveland? (EDIT: Thanks!)

Huh! I took up xc a couple of years ago and really love it, but I am utterly awful at descents (especially that right turn down to Arbor Lane in Chapin) since I've never done downhill. Are the lessons first-come, or do I need to reserve a space? I'll typically just do laps in Clark Field. In any case, if you have bad knees, the only thing better than xc might be cycling. (EDIT: Well, I guess I could just check out the linked brochure, but it's still not clear whether one should register for multiple sessions/classes.)

Because if you didn't include the area in the lake, there would be a large area up to the boundary with Canada that either belongs to the State of Ohio but to no County, or to the United States but not Ohio. Coastal counties on the left, right, and bottom coasts extend (I believe) 12 miles out to the beginning of international waters.

Browns name McCoy as starter for the rest of the season: http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2010/12/cleveland_browns_name_colt_mcc.html Everybody feel better now?

Vincent Valk at Next American City just wrote a pretty good piece about the publication of city rankings for various and sundry measures: http://americancity.org/magazine/article/list-o-mania/ Accompanying weblog post: http://americancity.org/buzz/entry/2801/ My favorite quote from the article:

*scratches head* I think that MayDay's point is that even "best stock of houses" and "best streets to live" are subjective terms and depend on the age of a person, income, what they are looking for, etc. Take Tremont: If I were an empty-nester with a comfortable income, I'd choose the W 7th/Literary area, but those are all new houses, and wouldn't appeal to those who want large porches or older homes like those around Lincoln Park. My advice: just walk around. The neighborhoods aren't that big. (EDIT: It's rather like asking "what's the best food?" and then providing clarification by asking "you know, what's the best food to eat?")

^ It took me 20 minutes, but I heard that folks who left later than I did (and who were parked in the interior of downtown) took an hour to get to Tremont, mainly due to trying to get out of the CBD.

Welcome back, RnR. Take it easy.

It's not a debate, MTS, if nobody else cares.

What's a tablecloth? ;D That thing you're using as a curtain. I thought that was what the bed sheet was for. Methinks MTS is the only person left in Cleveland who cares about the east-west so-called divide. I've lived all over Greater Cleveland from east to west, suburb to city. Yesterday's snow shower reinforced my good sense at living in Tremont and working Downtown.

Th Why is that? Cleveland has like 77 square miles of land, Cuyahoga County has 458 square miles of land. Thats almost 6 times bigger not a little less than 4 The problem is that the graph is misleading. The radius of the circle representing Cuyahoga County is indeed 6 times larger than the radius of the circle representing Cleveland, but when you calculate the area of a circle, you square the radius. So, in effect, the area of the circle representing Cuyahoga County is about 36 times larger than the Cleveland's circle.

Wow, there are incredible contradictions throughout. He follows this: "There are probably several reasons for this, but the main one is the terrible job we do -- or rather, that our states do -- in promoting the Midwest as a tourist destination" with his statement about Detroit and Cleveland, and then states things like: "Most Midwestern cities, even those in decline, retain fine orchestras, ballet companies, art museums." Maybe I'm just sore that the Cleveland Orchestra and Cleveland Museum of Art have difficulty competing with the Peoria Philharmonic and the nature exhibits at Ted Nugent's bowhunter's paradise in Jackson, Michigan.

Pet Peeve: When platanos get their seasons all mixed up. Gardening's over, man! It's drywall-hanging season!

Emmie, don't mind MTS. He gets a little territorial sometimes.

MTS, stop biting the newbies!

Wright Thompson nailed it. It's good to see somebody describe Cleveland so honestly and well.

Alas, we don't have a dedicated Cuyahoga River Navigational Channel thread (but maybe we should). The closest we get is the Port Authority thread. Anyway, straightening the river is a very, very, very old idea. Where Collision Bend is now was one of the earlier cuts in the river. I think it just makes more sense to work underground and connect the casino with the existing Gateway North garage or a new garage on the surface parking lot north of Huron than to build on Collision Bend (much less create a cut that would take several years just to pass regulations. Besides, don't we already have a slope subsidence problem on Irishtown Bend? This would certainly exacerbate it.