Yesterday, I tried to turn off my thoughts and just LOOK at things. Here are some photos from my sight-seeing tour of Cleveland--specifically in University Circle and downtown.

The October 30, 2008 Sun Press lead cover story article (strangely... not on-line) was: "New Uses For Coventry? Music School Settlement, day care, and charter school send letters of interest". This reported, "The Intergenerational School's proposal also listed several partners: Richard Fleischman Architects, of Cleveland, Star Neighborhood Development, of East Cleveland, Strategic Resource Consultants, of Cleveland Heights, and City Fresh Cafeteria, Fresh Stop and Market, of Cleveland". "Fleischman would serve as design architect, while Star Neighborhood Development and Strategic Resource Consultants would likely be development partners...". "That proposal would also include a 1.5 acre "Urban Farm"...". I submitted the proposal, a public document, highlighted below and attached as a PDF, and can say the Sun Press report is largely correct, but the story is far from complete, and far more exciting than the Sun brings to light.

Last night, I cried and it was a good cry. With the election of Barack Obama, America elected it's first real Father. The other firsts are so important, but to me, the real breakthrough was a country embracing two people, who love each other, and above all, love their daughters and every child in America. We have cause for celebration, but we also must realize that we, as a nation, have to start understanding the role of fathers and mothers in society.

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and all but one Cleveland City Council member (Mike Polensek) thoughtlessly voted to give $1 million cash to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for its induction dinner.

Now that’s what I call absolutely disgusting. The poor feed the rich.

I'M AWAY FROM HOME BUT I NOTICE OVER THE WEEKEND THAT BOTH THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH AND THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER HAVE BOTH ENDORSED JOHN MCCAIN FOR PRESIDENT.

HOW STUPID CAN THE EDITORS OF THESE TWO RETROGRADE NEWSPAPERS BE? DO THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT TROUBLE OHIO IS IN ECONOMICALLY?

ARE THEY JUST CATERING TO RIGHT WING REPUBLICAN INTERESTS AND NOT TO THE NEEDS OF THE STATE OF OHIO.

Did anyone expect anything less? Cuyahoga County Commissioners waived the $500,000 fee on the East 9th Street and Euclid Avenue property originally bought for a new County Administration Building.

The $500,000 check was made to the County to tie up the property for the developer. The developer should have eaten the fee and the County should be $500,000 richer.

Received via E-mail from a friend.......

I've been waiting to see how the Cleveland Plain Dealer is going to attempt to escape the shame of having endorsed for Cuyahoga County commissioner the highly unqualified and now under fire Bay Village mayor Debbie Sutherland, before she even debated the highly qualified and well respected incumbent, Peter Lawson Jones. Sutherland lost her first debate... and she lost her second debate... and, I understand, she lost four debates against Jones organized by the League of Women Voters for high school children... and she will lose the City Club debate (for Sutherland, losing has meant being obviously unprepared, unqualified, flustered, angry, embarrassed and even booed, in past cases). There was no excuse for the PD endorsing Sutherland, and now they must report 32 Cuyahoga County mayors endorse Peter Lawson Jones for commissioner. The PD editors are surely embarrassed over Sutherland, by now, so they are certainly looking for excuses, including attempting to make the race about race. I expect we'll see lots of this racist behavior in the coming months, years, and decades, in various death spirals, as the last generations of real American racists die away.

How disgusting and vile are the charges from Sen. George Voinovich that Sen. Barack Obama is a “Socialist.” It tells me that Voinovich would be a staunch McCarthyism advocate if this were the 1950s. What's so ironic and laughable is the Voinovich record of being a Socialist mayor to the Rich of Cleveland. His record is replete with massive give-aways to Cleveland corporate interest. It isn’t for nothing that he once bragged to the New York Times that he loved “Fat Cats,” meaning wealthy corporate types.

Laura Johnston’s Metro Page Sunday piece on “wage earners” bearing the burden of city taxes presented a distorted view of the issue. It left out the most important factor of this payroll tax – it has no progressivity. It is a regressive tax.

The ugliness of the McCain/Palin campaign and the hate they are
churning up can be seen in this Youtube couple of minutes:

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/238074.php

There is probably no one in the world that I respect more than Ralph Nader. No one I trust more. But I’m telling every Ohio voter, don’t vote for Ralph Nader.

The reason is simple. We cannot afford to have President John McCain.

Everyone in Cuyahoga County should read Erick Trickey’s piece on Pat O’Malley in the October issue of Cleveland Magazine. It’s a must read to show what the Plain Dealer has avoided doing for years about Prosecutor Bill Mason’s buddy, O’Malley.

There's something about tech entrepreneurs talking to superstar tech entrepreneurs that is, as Sarah Palin might say, "so gosh,darn excitin'." While I could have done without people getting so braggy about Columbus and a booming tech industry, but I was excited to meet some tech superstars, who hit the road on behalf of Barack Obamma's presidential campaign at an event called 2.Ohio.

Cleveland – Cuyahoga County Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones will host a
fourth public forum to discuss the proposed Medical Mart/Convention Center
project.

The purpose of the forum is to share as much information as possible about
the Medical Mart and Convention Center projects with the public.

The forum will be:

If you think you’ve been on a news diet lately reading the skimpy Plain Dealer, get ready to tighten your reading belt. The newspaper has announced new editorial staff reductions.

That is the question? With so many voices shouting in cyberspace, what's the point?

Apple tree by board-up on Terrace Drive, East Cleveland

Has a book changed your life? If you are a student between grades 4-12, you can win $$$ by writing a letter thanking the author who made a difference in your life.

EC Obama Field Office Manager Jessica Byrd and East Cleveland activist KMaCK

ECOFO just opened Wed., Sept. 24th. Having OPEN HOUSE TODAY, Sun. Sept. 28th. Need visitors, volunteers, and refreshment donations for TODAY !

Politics & Propaganda: Designing the President

Spectrum: The Lockwood Thompson Dialogues presents Politics & Propaganda: Designing the President featuring Donna Brazile (CNN) & Frank Rich (NY Times) and moderated by Dan Moulthrop (WCPN).