October 14, 200618 yr The Varsity is overrated, the zoo is abysmal (compared to more northern zoos), Coca Cola World is just "there," Six Flags is nice landscaping; lacks in coasters (besides three), CNN is pointless (unless you like older white women), and Stone Mountain you can see on I-285. In other words...ColDay's Word of the Year: Trash. I agree! Is Atlanta much of a tourist destination? If you love Home Depot, suburbs and domed stadiums, is there much else to see?? Oh, they do have that new huge aquarium. Anything else? By the way, what's the square feet of asphalt to human ratio in Atlanta? Its got to be one of the highest in the country. Six Flags, Stone Mountain, Coca Cola, CNN, The Varsity, Zoo, etc. Even though Atlanta is sprawled theres still a lot to do (in my opinion)...it just takes forever to get there. ATL Six Flags is one of the worst performing Stone Mountain is a "hill" The coca cola thingie is cute - the first time CNN is a cafeteria - Ever notice how all the programming is broadcast from NYC, except 2 hours in ATL and 2 hours from London? the Varsity is a heart attack in the making I know people in apartments in Harlem, that have better animal attraction & programming than the ATL Zoo - cock fight anyone? ATL is an overated joke...but the differnce between Atl and Cle/Col/Cinci -- The people that live there have never been anywhere else or come from smaller "towns" than ATL and don't realize its a joke.
October 14, 200618 yr Atlanta has a lot of nice restaurants and concerts though. They have a great music scene. I was just naming landmarks.
October 14, 200618 yr Is this the I love Cleveland thread or the I hate Atlanta one. So confused i <3 cleveland
October 14, 200618 yr The difference between Atlanta and Cleveland/Columbus/Cincinnati is that Atlanta is sheer image and perception. It's not worthy of its "capital of the South" moniker but for some reason people buy into the image. Unfortunately perception is becoming reality with the rapid growth that's projected for the city >;[
October 14, 200618 yr The difference between Atlanta and Cleveland/Columbus/Cincinnati is that Atlanta is sheer image and perception. It's not worthy of its "capital of the South" moniker but for some reason people buy into the image. Unfortunately perception is becoming reality with the rapid growth that's projected for the city >;[ Exactly! However, in the 80s the city did have a marketing plan. Something that Cleveland doesn't and desperately needs! Back in early 80s I think '82 or '83 cause cause i was interning at Sherwin Williams and ATL was trying to get them to relocate there. They have a HUGE convention and invited every forture 1000 company in the country to come set up shop in ATL a city that was a virtually UNDEVELOPED. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree that ATL, like Charlotte, Miami, Memphis, New Orleans, Raleigh-Durham, Ft. Liquordale, Jacksonville, San Diego & Phoenix are all stripmall suburb soul less cities....that's all! Is this the I love Cleveland thread or the I hate Atlanta one. So confused i <3 cleveland Punch don't be confused! :|
October 14, 200618 yr Atlanta had a rapidly growing economy. I think that's why it was so successful.
October 14, 200618 yr The Carter Center was pretty damn cool...I really dug that when I went. And we stayed in a neighborhood near downtown with all these cool little single-family houses, reminded me of a flat Norwood, only with bigger porches...a couple cool parks, went to some very fun little bars in some little indie-entertainment area... Not a place I'd be likely to visit on its own merits, but I very much enjoyed the time I spent there, and would happily go back if I had reason to. Oh, and I understand it's got the biggest gay club complex thing anywhere. Like, 24 hours, tons of bars, kind of like that one in Louisville only bigger. The drag show in Louisville was fantastic, hilarious, loads of fun, and I understand the best acts from there are trying to get to Atlanta...so if you're into huge gay clubs, there's that too...
October 14, 200618 yr They're working on the marketing plan, but it's for Northeast Ohio as opposed to Cleveland proper. I don't really know much about what the plan would call for, though.
October 14, 200618 yr The Carter Center was pretty damn cool...I really dug that when I went. And we stayed in a neighborhood near downtown with all these cool little single-family houses, reminded me of a flat Norwood, only with bigger porches...a couple cool parks, went to some very fun little bars in some little indie-entertainment area... Not a place I'd be likely to visit on its own merits, but I very much enjoyed the time I spent there, and would happily go back if I had reason to. Oh, and I understand it's got the biggest gay club complex thing anywhere. Like, 24 hours, tons of bars, kind of like that one in Louisville only bigger. The drag show in Louisville was fantastic, hilarious, loads of fun, and I understand the best acts from there are trying to get to Atlanta...so if you're into huge gay clubs, there's that too... It closed 2 or 3 years ago.
October 14, 200618 yr Was Atlanta's growth due to the Olympics, or did that happen before all the world-wide attention?
October 14, 200618 yr Was Atlanta's growth due to the Olympics, or did that happen before all the world-wide attention? Olympics. However, the post olympic scandals (population figures, company pullout in the region) are not starting to come out. In addition, they are now (and i suspect many of the "newer" cities will also go thru this) starting to go thru situations that cities like cleveland experienced a 30 years ago and with industry wide mergers/consolidations there economy is faultering.
October 14, 200618 yr Atlanta has been growing rapidly for the last 25 years... I thought when they put in bids for the olympics they have do studies to see whether or not there are enough facilities for the sporting events, hotels, restaurants, etc.
October 14, 200618 yr Yeah, I'm not saying you're wrong, My Two Sense, I just don't understand how one single event can utterly reverse inexorable demographic trends that span millions of people and decades of time...what exactly did the Olympics do to arrest population decline, and how did that keep going over the years following it? Again, I'm not saying it didn't, just that I don't understand.
October 14, 200618 yr It pumped a lot of money into the local economy im sure but it still had to be a city with a lot to offer for them to consider it.
October 14, 200618 yr Atlanta is not completely bad. My only gripe (and the reason I don't ever see myself returning there) is the fact that it is just too damned hard to really "make it." The cost of living is astronomical and the salaries just don't make it easy to afford a comfortable living. I was blessed to have a comfortable lifestyle while I lived there. However, if I had the same salary here (in Columbus, Ohio) that I had back in Atlanta, it would be sweet. I'm not complaining about my salary or standard of living here in C-bus. I actually make less and have a similar standard of living. Some of the pluses I have experienced include: 1) I live in a luxury apartment community that would have easily cost between $950-1100 a month in Atlanta city proper. I pay significantly less in Columbus city proper; 2) My commute to work is around 15 minutes on a good traffic day and around 20 minutes on a horrible traffic day. On a good traffic day in Atlanta it would take me 40-45 minutes to get to work. On a bad traffic day (which became routine) it would take me 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. We won't even discusss "bridge jumpers," "jack-knife tractor trailors," "on-looker delays" (commuters craning their necks to see accidents on the OTHER side of the interstate); 3) I can use surface streets to get from the inner-city to Columbus' surrounding suburbs. In Atlanta, to go from the inner-city to Atlanta's suburbs is almost exclusive interstate driving; 4) Now I do miss the cheap restaurants down South. I like the food here better though so I will pay the few extra dollars (you get to choose from different varieties of food). Oh yeah, the servings here are small as heck. Down South, you get used to paying a few bucks for a huge serving of food; 5) Atlanta has a music scene that is far more integrated into the community even though the quality sucks. The only thing you have to do in Atlanta is put an intoxicating beat with simple lyrics that you repeat over and over and over...(normally "Go 'head bitch and shake your ass real fast"). Ugh! I have a friend here in Columbus who is in the underground rap scene and when I read his lyrics I am amazed at how much thought, effort, and talent went into producing his lyrics. His music is there to uplift and not tear down. I am not a fan of rap music but I have to give credit where it is due; 6) Atlanta has a thriving entertainment culture. But I flat out refuse to pay for their sky high parking. It is too much to pay for an expensive ass ticket to the Fox then pay for expensive ass parking. Not to mention paying for dinner and a few drinks (which can get a bit pricey depending on where you go). It gets rough financially trying to have quality fun in Atlanta (not to mention how awful it is to drive in downtown Atlanta). Going downtown to Columbus is hassle-free and soooo much more calmer. That's just my assessment. Atlanta is not a hellhole. Someone just did not plan well for the city's growth and expansion. Too bad. In a couple of years, people will hate the fact that they bought into perception rather than reality. Three years was all I could take.
October 14, 200618 yr the more i talk to friends around the country, its satisfying that once I finally decide to buy in cleveland, I can get a pretty condo compared to their 600 sq ft they dropped 250k on.
October 14, 200618 yr 4) Now I do miss the cheap restaurants down South. I like the food here better though so I will pay the few extra dollars (you get to choose from different varieties of food). Oh yeah, the servings here are small as heck. Down South, you get used to paying a few bucks for a huge serving of food; But is that really a bad thing? "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
October 15, 200618 yr ^That's why I love Hamtramck. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
October 15, 200618 yr I didn't know Pallisades bowling alley in the Willoughby, or Willowick was the largest bowling alley in the country. I knew it was huge with 100+ lanes, but did not know it was the biggest.
October 17, 200618 yr I stumbled on this piece, written shortly after the 2004 election, while doing research on the Project for Public Spaces website. What a great love letter to Cleveland written, of course, by someone who doesn't live here! Town Square by Jay Walljasper November 2004 A Tale of Two Cities: Las Vegas is America's fastest growing city; Cleveland is called the mistake by the lake. What's wrong with this picture? It all came down to Cleveland. After 18 months of heated combat, countless millions of dollars, and 24-hour-a-day media attention, the presidential election was decided in this town on the shores of Lake Erie. And I sincerely hope that when it was all over--after the last ballot, cast by someone standing in line for five hours, had been counted--the packs of reporters and camera crews who descended on the place took a good look around. Because Cleveland is a surprising, interesting city that shows us a lot about what's gone wrong in urban America and offers some glimpses of what we can do to make things better. Wandering around town for a few days, I was surprised how much there was to love about Cleveland. http://www.pps.org/info/newsletter/november2004/november2004_town_square
October 17, 200618 yr People really don't understand what a great city we live in, and I'm just about to leave work early to listen to Stark's vision to make it even better.
October 21, 200618 yr I still love Cleveland. Although, I left Ohio for New York City, immediately after college, I couldn't wait to get out of Columbus. Most people I know here in NYC, have a favorable image of Cleveland, but reading this thread it appears the problem or poor image of Cleveland is rooted, well, in Cleveland. My company is even thinking of moving offices to Cleveland. Although, I grew up in Cleveland Heights, if I moved back to Cleveland I would probably move into Cleveland after looking at all the new cool condo's being built.
October 21, 200618 yr Well... Come Home to Cleveland! "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
October 21, 200618 yr Well... Come Home to Cleveland! I'm seriously thinking of it, our sister company just aquired another company in Cleveland and our company is thinking of relocating offices there and coming back home, after winter, 8-) is a serious thought.
October 22, 200618 yr Well... Come Home to Cleveland! I'm seriously thinking of it, our sister company just aquired another company in Cleveland and our company is thinking of relocating offices there and coming back home, after winter, 8-) is a serious thought. That's what I'm talking about =)
November 8, 200618 yr Hennen's 2006 American Library Ratings (http://www.haplr-index.com/ALProofHAPLR_2006.pdf) virtually declares Northeast Ohio the Library Capitol of America. Out of 9,076 libraries reviewed nationwide, here's how our libraries measured up: - Cuyahoga County Public Library is #1 in areas of 500,000 residents or more. - Medina County District Library is #4 in areas of 100,000 to 249,999. - Lakewood Public Library is #1 in areas of 50,000 to 99,999 (Lakewood Public Library and Columbiana Public Library tied for the highest rating nationwide). - Euclid Public Library is #4 in areas of 50,000 to 99,999. - Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library is #5 in areas of 50,000 to 99,999. - North Canton Public Library is #1 in areas of 25,000 to 49,999. - Westlake Porter Public Library is #2 in areas of 25,000 to 49,999. - Twinsburg Public Library is #1 in areas of 10,000 to 24,999. - Wickliffe Public Library is #2 in areas of 10,000 to 24,999. - Rocky River Public Library is #5 in areas of 10,000 to 24,999.
November 8, 200618 yr Of note, 60% of the score is determined by non-circulation factors. Ergo, library funding seems to be a large factor. Also, electronic factors are not considered.
November 9, 200618 yr In Euclid (just from my memory) school levys pass at about...25% Library levys pass at 100% We like our kids self educated in Euclid
November 9, 200618 yr For disclosure's sake, the full list of Hennen's criteria that put Northeast Ohio on top (bold criteria are those that were weighed most heavily: Expenditures per capita Percent budget to materials Materials expenditure per capita Full-time equivalent staff per 1,000 population Periodicals per 1,000 residents Volumes per capita Cost per circulation (low to high) Visits per capita Collection turnover Circulation per Full-time Equivalent Staff Hour Circulation per Capita Reference per capita Circulation per hour Visits per hour Circulation per visit
November 9, 200618 yr Hennen's 2006 American Library Ratings (http://www.haplr-index.com/ALProofHAPLR_2006.pdf) virtually declares Northeast Ohio the Library Capitol of America. Out of 9,076 libraries reviewed nationwide, here's how our libraries measured up: - Cuyahoga County Public Library is #1 in areas of 500,000 residents or more. - Medina County District Library is #4 in areas of 100,000 to 249,999. - Lakewood Public Library is #1 in areas of 50,000 to 99,999 (Lakewood Public Library and Columbiana Public Library tied for the highest rating nationwide). - Euclid Public Library is #4 in areas of 50,000 to 99,999. - Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library is #5 in areas of 50,000 to 99,999. - North Canton Public Library is #1 in areas of 25,000 to 49,999. - Westlake Porter Public Library is #2 in areas of 25,000 to 49,999. - Twinsburg Public Library is #1 in areas of 10,000 to 24,999. - Wickliffe Public Library is #2 in areas of 10,000 to 24,999. - Rocky River Public Library is #5 in areas of 10,000 to 24,999. To hell with COTA! C-bus needs to start funding their libraries again so they can be back in front of Cleveland (and the rest of Ohio and beyond) again!
November 9, 200618 yr They need to fund both to offer the basic services of a major city. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 10, 200618 yr Remember when the discussion about regionalism started to take place, and Jimmy DeMora's first idea was to consolodate libraries? I still think he offered that up as a way to kill regionalism discussions. NEO loves its libraries.
November 10, 200618 yr How does Cleveland's main library compare to Cincinnati's? I've only been to Cleveland like once and I barely remember it. I like how they have so many newspaper archives that you can look at with the film, at Cincinnati's. Speaking of which, I probably owe about 100 dollars in fines right now. I should probably go find those books...
November 10, 200618 yr IMO, the main branch downtown is freaking awesome. The old library with the archives, etc. reminds me of the main branch in Manhattan -- similiar to Cincy, I'm sure -- and they have a modern addition nextdoor that is spotless. Really an impressive facility.
November 10, 200618 yr i cant wait to meet the author of that book and give him a piece of my mind. Well, don't give him the piece of your mind that you always use. Give a piece you seldom use.
November 10, 200618 yr IMO, the main branch downtown is freaking awesome. The old library with the archives, etc. reminds me of the main branch in Manhattan -- similiar to Cincy, I'm sure -- and they have a modern addition nextdoor that is spotless. Really an impressive facility. Don't forget about the reading garden. That is a truly wonderful space.
November 13, 200618 yr The Cleveland Library has a long history of progressivism as well. It was the first library to allow patrons to browse the shelves on their own. And it is the first to lend MP3 audio books (on playaway devices). But yeah, the library really is awesome. It is also one of the few public library branches that have "research" library status. The building on the right is the library. Bottom building is a Federal Building, Top building is the board of education building.
November 13, 200618 yr MayDay kills me with those graphics hahahahaha. Cleveland's library is nice :]
June 25, 200717 yr I was having a hard time figuring out where to post this, so I thought here - let me know if anyone thinks it should go elsewhere. Yesterday I went downtown for a variety of reasons and while down there I took in 'Superman Returns' on the Omnimax. WOW. If you miss this, I feel bad for you. The huge, curving domed screen is truly something to watch the film in. One of the best cinematic experiences in my life - I plan on going back. Let's pray that the Science Center continues to do entertainment films! And a word to the wise, sit in the top row or two, otherwise you might be overwhelmed :) Still getting chills thinking about how great it was!
June 25, 200717 yr I was having a hard time figuring out where to post this, so I thought here - let me know if anyone thinks it should go elsewhere. Yesterday I went downtown for a variety of reasons and while down there I took in 'Superman Returns' on the Omnimax. WOW. If you miss this, I feel bad for you. The huge, curving domed screen is truly something to watch the film in. One of the best cinematic experiences in my life - I plan on going back. Let's pray that the Science Center continues to do entertainment films! And a word to the wise, sit in the top row or two, otherwise you might be overwhelmed :) Still getting chills thinking about how great it was! You actually liked the movie?
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