KJP

http://www.cleveland.com/economy/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1154939452141440.xml&coll=2 Cleveland Foundation brings prominent players to the table Monday, August 07, 2006 Tom Breckenridge Plain Dealer Reporter The Cleveland Foundation has used its money and clout to bring three turf-conscious titans into an informal planning task force known as the Greater University Circle Initiative. Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals and the Cleveland Clinic join more than a dozen other public, nonprofit and neighborhood entities in the initiative. The foundation wants the institutions to share their plans, think more broadly . . . and have a bigger impact, said Robert Eckardt, a top foundation officer. It's especially important that the Clinic is involved. It sits outside a square-mile district served by University Circle Inc. The nonprofit, dominated by Case and UH, oversees security, parking and land-use planning. The Clinic's fast growth, as well as expansions at a number of University Circle institutions, led Cleveland Foundation President Ronn Richard to call for the joint planning effort. ...... http://www.cleveland.com/news/wide/universitycirlce0807.gif

Just to nip any duplication in the bud, I put today's PD article and graphics in the transportation section.

Akron Metro purchased some of the rail cars a few years from Maryland Rail Commuter (MARC) in anticipation of starting an Akron-based regional rail system. Until they could start the system, they let CVSR use the rail cars. But then the state started gutting ODOT's transit budget (from $40+ million/yr to $16 million this year). Akron Metro suffered from the cuts because it doesn't have a local sales tax funding it like GCRTA does, and the regional rail plans were mothballed.

After BP today discovered a corroded pipeline from its Prudoe Bay field, and 8 percent of domestic production went off line "indefinitely," look for crude prices to rise above $80 per barrel and gasoline futures to rise to above $2.50 per gallon. Don't be surprised if the average retail price is in excess of $3.20 per gallon by the end of the week. Translation: Fill up your gas tanks now.

Riverwalk looked very nice. The rest of the city, especially the parts seen in the first half-dozen pics or so, looked like the usual uninspiring Sun Belt stuff. I like the pics of the Pizza Hut and McDonald's using the ground floor of existing buildings (are you reading this Walgreen's, Rite Aid and CVS?). Though it was hard to see the ground/streetscape in some pics, Ink. But very nice pics overall.

I was about to select my favorite picture, but as I kept scrolling down, I changed my choice about a half-dozen times. All I can I say is your excellent photography prevented me from choosing a favorite. Outstanding pics. On to part one...

What in the world is an open secret anyway? Is that like an honest lie?

A frightening article... as we're only getting into the start of the troubles. How will people respond to $5 gas? We'll soon find out.

Here's the image I pushed most recently. I still think it's workable and not too late to pursue (especially with the federal Highway Trust Fund account balance about to circle the drain)...

Quote of the week: From a column by Tony Hartzel of the Dallas Morning News, on a recent trip to Europe- and a newfound appreciation for the high-speed train linking the UK and France, the Eurostar. "Europe has had a better rail network because 'over there, passenger rail is a priority, and freight rail is secondary,' said Peter LeCody, president of Texas Rail Advocates, pointing out that most European rail lines originally were owned by the governments. 'We're so far behind here, it hurts.'"

I've not seen that detail on Leveque either. It reminds me a bit of the two massive statues guarding the waterway in the Fellowship of the Ring! Very medieval

Good description, MayDay. I agree, and any renovations to the existing convention center will likely be small. The county possesses the ability to raise hotel bed taxes without a popular vote to afford a basic renovation.

See the Innerbelt thread for some of my maps on how to relocate the Spaghetti Junction of I-90/I-77/Ontario/East 9th and to cover the combined Rapid Transit lines through the former Norfolk Southern intermodal yard. It sickens me every time I see that massive piece of landscape next to downtown not devoted to the kinds of uses that make downtowns truly wonderful places.

Wow. There are a lot of knowledgeable, informed people on this board. You aren't among them. You have zero clue as to what's happening in the rest of the nation, and the world. And I won't get into an informational debate with an unarmed man. Later.

Glad to see someone posted a pic of my neighborhood, Lakewood's Gold Coast. I see my building too -- it's the building three houses north of the "Tech" in "Europa Technologies". I once saw a stat that the population in that one-square-mile area represented above is about 20,000.

I suppose you could always spend $58-$73 on the 130-mile round trip drive instead (IRS deductibility is 44.5 cents/mile but doesn't including parking costs, AAA is 56 cents per mile and does include parking costs). What is a joke is the belief that commercial aviation will last in smaller markets and on short hops after the price of oil rises above a certain threshhold. Is it $100 per barrel? $200? I don't know. But that threshhold will be reached, When it does, you will have wished that this country could have joined the rest of the First World in developing a truly balanced, modern transportation system. Unfortunately, your skepticism is shared by other Americans who no longer believe that we can achieve the things that the rest of the developed has been able to accomplish with their transportation systems. I know you want airline service for bragging rights or some similar superficial marketing boost, but that's all you get from it in Youngstown. How does that mesh with the region's economic plan to develop its core city? Or build linkages between its health care sector and those in Pittsburgh and Cleveland? Or boost linkages between its educational institutions with those in Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Separately, these are potent assets. Tied together, accessible for people of incomes, ages and physical abilities, and regardless of what the price of oil is, we can be a great region again. But if you don't want to believe in the future, and that together we can accomplish anything, then I truly feel sorry for you and the people who read your blog.

So much for this being an aviation thread! :-P

I love the closing editorial comment to this column... http://www.arcataeye.com/index.php?module=Pagesetter&tid=2&topic=4&func=viewpub&pid=203&format=full Chris Rall: An end to subsidized parking – Aug. 1, 2006 The people of Arcata remember back 10 years ago to 2006 when gas steadily climbed past $3 per gallon and wonder how they ended up saddled with this mess. Few people drive anymore, and yet so much of our land that we need for housing ourselves and growing food is taken up by pavement. Sounds like paranoid fantasy? May I suggest reading up a little on the concept of Peak Oil? With gas going over $3 a gallon for good and parking at HSU set to jump to almost $160 per semester in two years, the twilight of our easy-motoring lifestyle is starting to show a little more clearly. Yet our road infrastructure is over-built even for the amount we use it today. Look around you at most times of day and you see wide empty streets and plentiful parking in most parts of town at most times of day. This is kind of nice for motorists, except the City can’t afford to repave streets. Many back streets and even some major streets are deteriorating rapidly, and the when the city gets around to repaving, it only repaves the middle of the street, leaving the sides to continue crumbling. It has become apparent that we have too much pavement for our own economic good. ......... Chris has been watching the Tour de France on TV and working on a new bathroom while waiting for his thesis back from his advisor.

Thank you! We'll hopefully have some more progress pretty soon. We're working on getting federal funding for the environmental impact analysis of the Ohio Hub (please contact Senators DeWine and Voinovich and ask for their support!). As for the Lorain-Cleveland regional project, the next stakeholders meeting for which will be at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 30th at Cleveland City Hall. It will be part of a special meeting of the Aviation & Transportation Committee. I'd also like to push some interim service improvements, such as extending existing train services from New York state and Michigan into and across Northern Ohio. But that's not official All Aboard Ohio project. Hopefully it will soon be one. You sure about that web link?

A L L A B O A R D O H I O 309 South Fourth Street, Suite 304 Columbus OH 43215 www.allaboardohio.org 614-228-6005 For Immediate Release Contact: Bill Hutchison, President Aug. 3, 2006 (614) 882-1716 All Aboard Ohio heads toward the same destination, but with more energy and teamwork COLUMBUS -- All Aboard Ohio, a statewide rail and transit advocacy association, today announced it was looking forward to addressing the state's pressing mobility needs with renewed vigor, including new staff, management structures and strategies. All Aboard Ohio President Bill Hutchison also said the association's members, funders and friends will become a stronger part of the advocacy team to continue the organization's growth, stability and professionalism it has achieved in its 33-year history. "We are aggressively pursuing new and better ways to build the constituency for rail and transit, while seeking specific improvements to transportation services," said Mr. Hutchison. "After all, that is why citizens and organizations chose to commit their limited resources to help our efforts in the first place. They need to know that they come first as we consider a replacement for our executive director, following his choice to pursue other interests. We wish him all the best." All Aboard Ohio is the only statewide nonprofit organization whose sole mission is to advocate for improved passenger train and public transit services in Ohio. The organization was founded in 1973 as the Ohio Association of Railroad Passengers. All Aboard Ohio's board of directors is conducting a comprehensive review of association resources to maximize its effectiveness. That could include hiring new staffpersons to grow the organization's revenues, membership, communications and teamwork. The All Aboard Ohio board has much experience from which to draw, as it is comprised of corporate, governmental and nonprofit professionals who have a diverse wealth of knowledge in transportation issues, management, finance and advocacy. "We look forward to a bright future," Mr. Hutchison said. "Our goal is for All Aboard Ohio to emerge as an advocacy organization that is second to none in the nation when it comes to successfully improving transportation choices for citizens. Only through teamwork, communication and energy can we reach that destination." END

THAT'S IT!!!! Thank you!

The simple fact is that every ethnic group has been shit on by another at some point in history. They pull out from underneath when they start caring less about where they've been or what others say about them, and care more for where they're going and how they're going to get there. That focus helps them to deal with the bumps in their path and to regain their direction from the inevitable falls they take. Wearing your troubled past like a badge of honor is a sure way to scare off people who can help you climb the ladder of success (ie: potential employers, loan officers, etc.) and who have their own problems in life. They don't care to take on someone else's problems. They just want to know whether you're a worthy investment of their time and money. And no one climbs the ladder on their own. We all make progress in the climb because someone is willing to give us a chance. If you want to improve your chances, then you're going to have to assimilate into the environments you want to be in. Dress, act and speak professionally. All ethnic groups have had to give up a little bit of who they are on the outside, but they've also influenced their environments in some ways too. You have to give up something to get something. But it doesn't mean you stop being who you are at the core of your soul. They can never take that away from you.

I too am I child of the 80s, and also drank the cheap stuff -- Stroh's 15-packs that sold for $2.99 (I remember Milwaukee's Best also came in 15-packs), not to mention Little Kings, Blatz and, when really desperate, Beer (remember the all-white generic cans that said "Beer" and "Light Beer"?). But I digress....

Good question. I wasn't sure of the answer either. While I was trying to write my earlier message, I spent 15 minutes on Google trying to jar my memory of the name of those condos. Alas it was to no avail. But I'm pretty sure those were built in the 1980s, too.

Very well said, Robert. Feel free to opine anytime.