For teens 14-19.

Free spoken word, performance and leadership events for teens. Whether you are writing, slamming, DJing, MCing, or dancing, you will connect with old friends, make new friends, and have a chance to compete for a spot on Cleveland's Youth Poetry Slam team.

WHEN: Friday nights and weekday afternoons January - April 2009

WHERE: Idea Center at Playhouse Square 1375 Euclid Ave. Cleveland 

Northeast Ohio has the opportunity to rebuild our neighborhoods and by offering healthier and more active transportation choices, we can create thriving neighborhoods where people want to live. However, the current transportation network leaves us way behind the curve. New investment to support walking and biking will create pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods, an important step to get the nation back on track. Fortunately, it's a cost-effective step we can take in these tight financial times.

Check out Suki Yume in Tremont.  This is my tenant and she just put the finishing touches on her business... beautiful, new sign... window stickers... address numbers (finally) installed.

Paula is drawn to Asian Ball Joint Dolls (or ABJD) because of their beauty and unique customization.  You can take a blank doll and paint your own face, change the hair, change the eyes... make it your own.

Tremonts artistic base makes this shop a perfect fit. 

Here we go… If you were wondering about how federal stimulus dollars might be spent in Ohio, this should give you some idea. Gov.

Don’t you just love the dance the establishment, its puppet politicians and its subservient media are doing with the medical mart.

“This community needs to move ahead on the medical mart, and that means pushing for a decision on where to build it,” headlined a Plain Dealer editorial, “Decision time.”

Well, editorial writers, no one is building a medical mart.

The envisioned business area for our envisioned 200 acre port facility at East 55th Street in the inner harbor (in the Innercity Yacht Club and marina to be exact).

Note from Mansfield Frazier regarding a winery in Hough:

Ward 7's recently-elected representative, Cleveland City Councilman TJ Dow, has asked me to assist him with jumpstarting a project. He would like to explore the idea of situating a first-class winery in the Upper Chester area of the ward, which is immediately adjacent to University Circle, and in the shadow of Cleveland Clinic. Such a facility would tap into the nascent green movement by potentially utilizing grapes grown on the vast expanses of vacant land in Cleveland, while creating employment opportunities for local residents in the areas of wine production, marketing, distribution, equipment maintenance, bookkeeping and a host of other jobs. Additionally, such a facility would become a gathering focal point for community events and other entertainments.

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I just viewed a clip this evening and hit Google to find out more...

Congress recently passed a law to protect children under the age of 12 against lead poisoning.  The law was meant to protect against toys poisoned with lead, or lead based paint.  The law is actually very broadly written and also covers clothing... all clothing...

There is also very little guidance about the new law... basically... resale shops have to test every article to prevent against lead content... how will that work if testing costs more than the sale price of the garment?

Snow is blowing by my window this morning and I have just watched my neighbor and his 6 year old son dig out their driveway and drive away. I cruised over to cleveland.com to see what is news in NEO... not much.

So I returned to REALNEO and opened a book: REALNEO TOPSOIL - Technology Optimization Platform for Social Organization, Innovation and Learning

In the 1990s, Cleveland had a rather highly educated City Council. I can’t remember the number but the percentage of lawyers among the 21 members was high. Cleveland also had an intelligent, crafty and feisty Mayor in Michael White. Today, City Council appears – with a few exceptions – to be inept and even farcical. Mayor Frank Jackson may be steady but one wouldn’t call him artful or exciting. Does it make any difference? Here is an example where it definitely didn’t.

when i moved back to cleveland in 1994, i had high hopes from the sell

of a great new baseball/basketball complex, the new rock hall, tower city, etc

Frank Jackson is trying to let people know he’s Cleveland’s mayor. After all, he does have to run for that office, though at least at this time there isn’t much talent around that appears able to challenge him.

However, the Medical Mart & Convention Center issue has shown how little weight he exhibits as the Cleveland mayor on big issues of the day.

They may soon begin selling reporter’s desks at the Plain Dealer.

A message today went to employees announcing the PD will be looking to rent parking and office space in its Superior Ave. and E. 18th building.

Management said that it was working with Grubb & Ellis “to explore the possibility of leasing a portion of the parking garage.”

In addition, the paper will attempt to lease space in its relatively new building working with Cresco, Ltd.

In these changing economic times, the last person we needed as commerce secretary was Bill Richardson. So glad to see him removing himself as Obama Commerce Secretary - a poor, politically-motivated choice in the first place... I'll be glad to see Richardson diasappear from public "service" entirely. One more old leader gone. Who will now be promoted to position of Commerce Secretary... another old economy leader or a new social innovator?

When Doug Clifton became editor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, I was in frequent communication with Columnist Tom Brazaitis. I shared with Tom information technology advice to improve the newspaper - like adding email addresses to the articles in the paper (which they didn't do at the time), and completely transforming how they used the Internet. Tom suggested I contact Clifton directly, which I did, and Doug was very receptive to feedback and we ended up corresponding regularly.

What page are we on? What year is this? And where did Fred Nance go?

The latest muddle on the med mart suggests that the big boys can’t get the ducks in a row again.

Backroom dealing and pressure are being exerted. By someone upon someone. Messages are being sent.

MMPI (Merchandise Merchandise Properties Inc.) maybe wants a smaller convention center and apparently a different site than the Downtown Gang (Greater (or Lesser) Cleveland Partnership & Forest City Enterprise) desires.

That would benefit MMPI.

Just as a reminder that there is plenty of room for meetings without a new convention center. Why doesn’t Cleveland Positively sell out of these venues? Quoting from a Cleveland Crain’s Business listings here are convention and meeting spaces available in Cleveland and its near suburbs. Lest we forget in order to build another structure for the Forest City Gang: - Cleveland Convention Center – 124,067 square feet of meeting space. - I-X Center – 101,045 square feet. - Playhouse Square Center – 90,000 square feet.

What have you done lately for Randy Lerner, Sam Miller, Albert Ratner, Tim Hagan, the Cleveland Orchestra or the Playhouse Square Foundation?

Plenty.

You may not know it but as a resident of Cuyahoga County you have been extremely generous to these richest of our rich.
The figures are in through December for a number of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County taxes.

Jeff Buster's poll on REALNEO asking "If Peter Lawson Jones immediately withdrew his support for the Medical Mart Convention Center would his public career benefit?" motivated me to spend the time to explore the probability the MedCon is already dead, and our leaders will let us know that when they return from their vacations... and get the nerve. What do you think?

While on the subject of cities, some analysts look to the nation's economic woes, it's impact on tax receipts for cities and foresee municipal bankruptcies growing at alarming rates.  Cities may need to look to municipal bankruptcy, chapter 9 of the bankruptcy code, to protect themselves and taxpayers. We haven't seen this since the Orange County bankruptcy in 1994, which lost over $1.5 billion.

I never thought Councilman Mike Polensek was a bad guy, maybe a frustrated, burned out, partially-jaded reformer facing difficult tasks in Cleveland, but not a bad guy. However, in my mind, you can't justify the latest problem involving his asking a local development nonprofit organization to buy a house for him while he secured financing.  He can say he gave the nonprofit a modest profit for helping he can say it was only a short-term thing and he can say he only did it for his mom, but....

What better way to see Cleveland--10 a.m. -12:00 p.m. for all upcoming dates listed here. 

January 3rd The West Side Market 1979 W. 25th Street Bring in the new year by sketching the Saturday activity at the market. With the enclosed produce section and the impressive indoor market space...it is the perfect winter locale!

- Opening Keynote Speaker: Chris Ronayne, President, University Circle Inc.
- Lunch Keynote Speaker: John W. Ryan, State Director, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown
- Closing Panel Discussion: "Regional Economic Development: Why Now, What's the Promise?. Moderated by: Bill Currin, Mayor, City of Hudson.

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