Tricia's Dish Invites Entrants in the Dish...Make Me Over! Summer Makeover Contest

Submitted by tchaves on Mon, 05/25/2009 - 00:50.

Win a Free Makeover & Photo Session This Summer

 One lucky reader has an opportunity to win a makeover, outfit and professional photo session. The Dish…Make Me Over! Contest runs now through Friday, July 31, 2009.  Readers may enter the contest by going to Tricia's Dish at http://www.triciachaves.blogspot.com and submitting a brief form with the reason why they (or a willing friend) deserve a makeover, and their ‘before’ photograph.

 Contestants will be added to Tricia’s Dish beginning Monday, June 1 (and every 24 hours thereafter).  Participants are encouraged to take advantage of social networking tools and tell their friends and family to visit Tricia’s Dish and cast their vote.  The five entrants with the highest number of votes will be narrowed to a group of finalists on Wednesday, July 15. A final round of voting will run from Thursday, July 16 through Thursday, July 30. The winner (with the highest number of votes) will be announced Friday, July 31, 2009.  The contest is open to male and female participants, age 18 or older.  The deadline to enter the contest is Wednesday, July 1. 

A makeover (hair cut, color, style and makeup application) will be provided by Zen Metro Spa (1870 West 25th Street) in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood, and the photo session will be taken with the award-winning husband and wife team, Ted and Rachel Linczak, of Linczak Photography of Parma Heights.

Tricia’s Dish is a resource for living and eating better for less from Cleveland and beyond.  The site features weekly giveaways every Friday and focuses on showcasing and promoting independent local restaurants, businesses and artists.  Visit Tricia’s Dish for information about Cleveland events, recipes, cooking and travel videos and more.  <P><P>

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Cultural Envy

Submitted by lmcshane on Tue, 05/26/2009 - 02:30.

  Okay Trish--I could use a makeover, but I won't beg.  I will just say that you and I share a love of all cultures and we are lucky to enjoy life here in Northeast Ohio.

It can be a challenge to embrace our cultural differences, but you are on the right track.  I am on my way to the Greek Festival in Tremont to pick up some of the mouthwatering Mediterranean specialities there. 

The music, the dancing, the food and the complexity of  island culture defies categorization just like anyone of us.  We want our island and we want to be part of the mainland.  The classical paradox of humanity :) Opa!

dance the kalamatianos for me

Submitted by Susan Miller on Mon, 05/25/2009 - 17:59.

 

Still spam IMHO Ms. Chaves

Submitted by Jeff Buster on Wed, 05/27/2009 - 14:29.

Every post you have made to date is spam.

Each of your posts is designed to drive traffic to what appear to be clients of yours, or to your web site which appears to be a commercial venture to bring traffic to restaurants, etc.  
You have not posted any of your own thoughts about any of your clients.   You have not posted any material which analyses anything.
Each of your posts is a distraction from the important business to which Cleveland needs to be attending.
 
I have no problem with, say, an art gallery owner posting about an upcoming show where there will be art for sale.  That's fine because it is straight forward.  No hidden agenda.
 
Maybe I am too cynical, but each of your posts, including your movie, seem to have an unspoken second tier commercial agenda with you in the loop.  
 
jeff b

Jeff, If my observations of

Submitted by tchaves on Wed, 05/27/2009 - 17:58.

Jeff,

If my observations of a place, service, restaurant or a product aren't my own thoughts than I don't know whose they are.  

I write a lot of other content, which you are welcome to view directly on my site.  As I mentioned before, I've been trying to use my discretion and only contribute content to this forum that might be relevant to the readers of the site.  Outside of cooking, giveaways, tips, freebies, etc. the general theme of my site is to promote and nurture the local businesses in our area, and get the most out of living in our city.  Again, I thought that this was one of the goals of the RealNEO forum as well.  

If I denyed I entered the Positively Cleveland video contest (as well as posting to this forum) without some hopes that it would expose my site to fellow Clevelanders who might otherwise not know about it, I would be lying--but I don't have some grand agenda outside of doing something I enjoy very much that might also be making a positive impact, in my way, on my community.  What is "spam" to you might be informative to someone else.  

Jeff, by all means (if reading--and responding at such great length to my contributions are so distracting from your important business, just scroll by to the next post :-)  But I for one, believe that it's "important" that when someone wants to go out to eat, buy a gift or be entertained--they think of an individual whose business is depending on it, rather than a corporate giant who might not be.  I'm hoping that in spending the time searching for, evaluating and featuring/profiling the businesses I do, more people will know about them, and perhaps make a real difference in Cleveland where their spending is concerned.   

Tricia Chaves

Weekly giveaways every Friday!

www.triciachaves.blogspot.com

I missed the Greek festival

Submitted by tchaves on Wed, 05/27/2009 - 17:59.

I missed the Greek festival this weekend, and was so disappointed.  Thanks for sharing!

 

Tricia Chaves Weekly giveaways every Friday! www.triciachaves.blogspot.com

what ever your money on the

Submitted by None on Wed, 05/27/2009 - 20:31.

what ever your money is on the nightstand.  

Not fair

Submitted by lmcshane on Fri, 05/29/2009 - 10:20.

  Jeff, I think you are being very unfair here.  I direct people all the time to various sites.  Social media is just that.  Some time ago, someone posted an event marketing an exercise program.  I had no problem with that post, either.  But, it was deleted by the administrators (I am not an administrator).

I say, that if the post gets traffic then it merits attention.  We should delete as a last resort.  Certainly, links to positive, upbeat info can't hurt us. Are we always supposed to wallow in the misery of NEO?  If someone makes a few bucks off the effort does it constitute spam?

I know that some folks who join this site and link to completely irrelevant material are spammers, but I would most emphatically defend Tricia's posts against censorship.  They are not spam.
 

She is getting paid to do

Submitted by None on Wed, 05/27/2009 - 20:26.

She is getting paid to do it, an examiner

LOL

 

 

What would be wrong with that

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Wed, 05/27/2009 - 20:33.

That would make her a professional journalist.

Disrupt IT

Professional Journalist or Professional Spammer?

Submitted by Jeff Buster on Thu, 05/28/2009 - 14:00.

 Where is the journalism?  Here's what I see:

tchaves spam on realneo

The photo of the Latina women (and the "Psychographic" discription of why Latina's in the Southwest should use Bullfrog - Neutrogena has already started marketing to Latinas - to combat melanoma?)   is a page out of the Kimberly Cone Bullfrog consumer product campaign book and the reason why Tricia Chaves put up a canned piece this spring (with photos from  Autumn) about Squires Castle in the Cleveland Metroparks on the Examiner.com blog.

Chaves' Squire's Castle "article" is spam because the  primary purpose of the post is to house and conceal the Bullfrog link.   Not the other way around.  

Laura, does this pick up your spirits about NEO?

It certainly doesn't pick up my spirits to have Chaves use Realneo to drive traffic to this hidden commercial brainwash crap.

 

 

 

 

  chelsea handler does

Submitted by None on Thu, 05/28/2009 - 07:02.

 

 

My husband hates her but I think Chelsey Handler is hilarious

Submitted by tchaves on Thu, 05/28/2009 - 14:21.

Tricia Chaves Weekly giveaways every Friday! www.triciachaves.blogspot.com

Floats your boat

Submitted by lmcshane on Thu, 05/28/2009 - 14:29.

  Again, Jeff--I don't think you should preoccupy yourself with one poster's style or substance.  Don't like it?  Ignore it.  It will go away by itself, if it does not float someone's boat.  

One thing no one at REALNEO wants to see is unnecessary censorship or editting.  We are all admittedly not the best writers in the world.  One of us at one time wanted to go into posts and correct spelling and grammar.  While, I can see the need, we must resist the urge. 

Let it all hang out...we can decide for ourselves whether to pay attention or not.

Hello Laura,(&all RealNeo!)

Submitted by Jeff Buster on Thu, 05/28/2009 - 15:48.

 

Hello Laura,(and the entire Realneo World!)
 
I just -re-signed up with Associated Content.   (AssCon)
 
Here's what they do:  "AC's platform enables anyone to participate in the new content economy by publishing content on any topic, in any format (text, video, audio and images), and connects that content to consumers, partners and advertisers."
 
What I like about Associated Content is that I can make a few bucks when I write about Cleveland or about anything else for that matter.   
 
But sometimes it is a little awkward because I have to work backwards like Tricia Chaves does.
 
For example, AssCon has had a client - let's call them Blow Hard -  that wants to advertise multi megawatt wind turbine generators for urban use – you know, like near downtown Cleveland.
 
Now I didn't want to come right out and put Blow Hard's wind mill ad on the home page of REalneo, so I decided (a few years back when I first signed up for ASSCON) that I would just stealthily throw a few casual stories about wind turbines up on realneo.  Some of those stories – like the Clipper turbine gear failure in Lackawanna started getting traffic from Google searches - but little did Google know that I would be inserting advertising links to Blow Hard as comments into those posts soon for ASSCON.  (Google will never know, please don't tell them).
 
Man, when those links to Blow Hard are clicked in the comments I will be headed South for RETIREMENT.
 
So I continued to write about wind – I didn’t really care about wind cuz I am a fossil man – and pretty soon people actually started to think that I gave a damn about the planet.  
 
Little did they know I was just writing about wind turbines so I could go to the bank with Blow Hard.   But that didn’t bother my conscience. 
 
Every now and then when Realneo had a server crash or needed some server cash I went to meetings and asked everyone to donate to Realneo so I could keep getting the Blow from the links.   Some people at the meetings suggested that Realneo should put advertising on the web site to bring in a little income to pay for the server, but I thought that advertising would make my Blow Hard links less down-home and decrease traffic so I didn’t want advertising on the site.  
 
My interest in Realneo was honest, but purely economic.  Anyway,  I was advertising for myself OFF of REALNEO. That didn’t bother my conscience either. Earning a living is always OK.
 
But there was a problem that arose. 
 
  The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor, Bill Mason, was looking to run for Statewide Office.   Trouble was Bill was pretty provincial – just a lawyer with a bunch of experience prosecuting Cuyahoga criminals.    Bill was looking for a way to pad his resume to make it look like he had broad experience – you know – experience in things like economic development.
 
So Bill made a deal with Tim Hagan (and other Cuyahoga shakers and movers) to get about a million and a half for a phantasmagoric economic development – really cutting edge – Wind turbines about three miles out on Lake Erie off of Cleveland.
 
Bill and the Cuyahoga Prosecutor office instantly became direct competitors with Blow Hard. 
 
I was really mad.
 
Now I had to do even more writing about wind gibberish machines - which I didn’t even like – as I said earlier – I am a fossil man.  
 
I had to write a bunch of reports on why Bill Mason’s and the Cleveland Foundation's idea of wind on Lake Eire was a terrible idea.   That didn’t bother my conscience.  But it was a pain in the ASSCON to have to go to Wind Energy Task Force meetings and meet with Fletcher Miller just so I could conceal my links to Blow Hard.
 
And I had to keep Dr. Rashidi (not to mention Mark Cironi) from moving ahead of Blow Hard.  
 
I have begun to think that maybe I won’t be able to achieve the income to retire from the Blow Hard link clicks as soon as I had anticipated.
 
So I am sincerely asking  everyone on Realneo for help.   Please click my Blow Hard links. There is a big prize for the one millionth clicker.
 Also, I know about AssCon and Springwise Trends, and Examiner.com, but are there other no questions asked  "journalistic" media parasites out there that I can sign up with to write more backward NEWS with links to Blow Hard?
 
Please put a subtle, discrete link to any parasite commercial link vendor you know in your next trumped up post on Realneo  We're all in this together!
 
Sincerely,
Jeff

 

Jeff, You missed a good

Submitted by jerleen1 on Fri, 05/29/2009 - 10:19.

Jeff,

You missed a good opportunity to see me get ousted from the Central Tremont Block Club on Thursday night.  I do believe that it was the intent of leaders of this fine group, which by the way included Sammy Catania and a certain priggish prosecutor, to pull the wick of the firecracker, however, somebody messed up and lit the fuse to the dynamite shed.

lmcshane might relate to this, I made a request for some receipts for some Neighborhood Connections grant funds expended, in which the Central tremont Block Club was the grantee, so that I could make an informed report to the membership.  First, I was informed by TWDC  (fiscal agent) finance manager Lynn Murray that I would have the receipts in a couple of weeks. 

And then....Presecutor Colleen Reali showed up at the block club meeting, crying the blues that I had ask for her personal check and credit card information (which I did no such thing and never mentioned her name but since she wrote the grant back in 2008, she couldn't believe I had overstepped my bounds) and that she was shocked since I had a record (twenty years old).  Not to mention, Second District Commander Sulzer, two hand-cuff pistol packin' boys in blue guarding the door and Cleveland's finest Lt. Bolan keeping pace in the Jefferson Library. 

What really made me mad was that our hot dogs got cold but since she brought along enough troops to stack the deck against me, I am no longer the co-chair of CTBC.  Of course, my affiliation with the Plain Press was thrown into the lynch party by Sammy Catania as well as all my other human faults.

I pondered for all of half an hour before I realized what a great service had been bestowed on me.

Now, the OLD SOUTH SIDE COMMUNITY COALITION has been born and it has no affiliation with TWDC and, as the word is spreading through the area, call after call is coming in offering support and assistance.  All the details will be completed by the first week of June and flyers will be out.  ALL HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS INCLUDING TENT DWELLERS are welcome.   

Rumors are also circulating the neighborhood that after making the deal between West 25th Street  ($23,000) and TWDC, the first order of business was  to pass out certain salary increases within the organization, some to the tune of $5,000.   

Another story of the battle between the rich and the poor in Tremont.

 

 

 

 

 

Handing out raises at TWDC

Submitted by lmcshane on Sat, 05/30/2009 - 13:03.

  Thanks Jerleen--this is a good time to ask whether our CDCs should be handing out raises on the public dime?

CDCs are funded by local taxpayers through a convoluted federal/municipal arrangement called Community Block Grant Development funds as well as discretionary funds from local council folks.

This is an especially egregiously abuse of taxpayer dollars as other "non-profits" (Cleveland Art Museum, Cleveland Orchestra, RTA ) are at the very least offering some top administrative constraint with across the board pay cuts.

here is an old post with an interesting discussion of spam

Submitted by noner on Thu, 03/24/2011 - 21:35.

Can you distinguish Chaves' posting behavior from that we have seen recently? - aside from the fact that Chaves' posts are benign...

 

 

 

One way to get elected... who bought the cops?

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Sat, 05/30/2009 - 09:33.

Terrorism against poor citizens seems to be the law order of the day, in Tremont. That sure is one way to get votes, and eliminate those against you. Who do the police work for?

Who paid for all those unnecessary police officers?

Ask for a receipt for paid security service, by TWDC, as I think taxpayers have more important uses for the police than intimidating the Plain Press or any other free people and free speech.

Disrupt IT

The Commander himself

Submitted by jerleen1 on Mon, 06/01/2009 - 20:34.

The Commander stated that he was there because of complaints about kids playing in the streets.   On my way out of the parking lot after the lynch party, Lt. Bolan told me he was just there to keep the peace. 

Who brought them, I don't know.  but I can tell you, it was a scene snatched from the stages of Law and Order.  As all the players arrived and took their poisitions, the drama began to unfold when Prosecutor Colleen Reali walked through the door with the fine handcuff pistol packin' boys in blue close on her heels and took her place across the table  from the decorated lawman. (The Commander) 

All the extras started filing in, seating themselves against the wall in wait of performing their civic duty as jury of the kangaroo court.  My twenty year old record was spewed out in the presence of 39 attendees while the priggish ligitator gave an oscar performance  protraying a victim in a state of shock that this criminal minded co-chair would even think about asking for receipts validating Neighborhood Connections grant monies expended from the fiscal agent's  (TWDC) finance manager.  The leading lady's name was never mentioned in the request for documentation of the costs and merchandise purchased from a roll over of approx. $530.00 of the 2008 grant. 

Since it had come to the co-chair's attention that the purchase of a few flowers had been the result of a sale held in Lincoln Park by the fiscal agent's (TWDC) own board vice president and;  that there was a steak B-B-Q including libations possibly tagged on to the sum of these receipts.....Sammy Catania forgot and left his black cloak at home, othrwise he would have been the sitting judge.

Another little piece of information I have been holding on to.   Tom Cook is rumored to have bought an insurance company in Florida and while at the same time claiming residence in his tax abated condo in Tremont and commuting to and from as TWDC Board Boss.

Tricia=Bill Mason

Submitted by lmcshane on Thu, 05/28/2009 - 20:35.

  I don't think so...besides, what are you worried about?  I think your stats trump anyone, except maybe Norm's bare bottom post on smalltown Vermont.  The more you react to this post, the more you drive traffic. Vive REALNEO :)

Yes Jeff, please---keep

Submitted by tchaves on Thu, 05/28/2009 - 20:48.

Yes Jeff, please---keep reading.  Those one cent clicks of yours keep adding up.  Before long, you'll have bought me something from the Taco Bell value menu.  Thank you so much for your constant support and for spreading the word to the entire Real NEO community about my articles.  The attention is much appreciated!

Tricia Chaves Weekly giveaways every Friday! www.triciachaves.blogspot.com

Tchaves - a burrito please

Submitted by Jeff Buster on Mon, 06/01/2009 - 14:05.

I'm still not convinced .   Maybe if you explained the provenance of the  Bullfrog Mosquito Coast link in your Squire's Castle piece we could move on...

With the additional clicks this mosquito discussion will bring your commercial Examiner blog, I’ll take a burrito AND a Coke! 

PS you never telephoned me?!

 

I like the video and do not

Submitted by None on Fri, 05/29/2009 - 20:46.

 

I like the video and do not like the examiner connection, do not like the adds particularly the “green” journal. I do not appreciate the “green” marketing scam that we are all are going to have to deal with and all the fallacies within it.

I have little appreciation for the egocentric, even Oprah and Ellen get on my nerves, million for what, but at least they give back or it seems they do.

The lack of apology on this is narcissistic in some degree, self-indulgent and patronizing. I do not care for the crap being called content. The video was endearing though, but that is something many can do even guy is doing it, freedoms of schpeech, and the freedom to wear a tin foil hat for protection?

Is the site a microcosm of society one that likes to separate and define and align? What the heck there are kernels of corn within, we just need to search for them and hold our noses while doing so.

Harsh and unfair

Submitted by lmcshane on Mon, 06/01/2009 - 18:11.

  I don't begrudge any one an income from the time they spend on line, especially if it drives the LOCAL economy.  JeffB, I wish you would lay off Tricia.  She is promoting LOCAL businesses.  Yes, the carport post is pure spam.  It is not local and it is merely an attempt to post on as many sites like REALNEO as possible to push up the Google ranking. 

I post links to local library events, local festivals, local restaurants....LOCAL happenings and neighborhood concerns.  I don't get paid for it, but some may claim that I have a hidden agenda, too.  At one time we had a hard time attracting anyone to contribute content to REALNEO and we invited folks to cross post.  Tricia is cross posting.  Also, does it hurt REALNEO to have some one posting on food events and restaurants here, afterall, NEO likes to EAT!?  And, offering prizes and giveaways, too?  I don't think so.

Do we want to discourage diverse material and new posters at REALNEO?  I hope not.  I think that the aggressive tone taken with TChaves and not taken with other posters who use similar crossposting and/or who might ramble incoherently on one topic or another, shows an unfair bias that will scare off the legitimate dialogue we need at this site.

I will also say this--I am updating my profile to include my REALNEO agenda and I encourage any one who does sign up to REALNEO to do the same.  It helps us all to know where we are coming from and where we hope to end up.