Average Joe citizens don't really get the concept of Wall Street....and the Securities and Exchange Commission...and the big business at large.... But then you find out that you have been totally devastated by Wall Street games and you begin to wonder about your local leadership and how intertwined they are politically with all of these transactions...... It just makes you wonder....

In honor of the Reclaiming Vacant Properties conference in Cleveland this week, I thought I would share some real reflections on why so much property is vacant in Cleveland - lead poisoning... which impacted the whole world but has caused especially pronounced harm in Northeast Ohio, continuing today.

Comparison of relative temporal changes in lead concentration in tooth enamel and lake sediments, and relative changes in the total amount of lead additives to gasoline. Maximum absolute values and symbols are:  4.94 μg/g (teeth, smoothed data, uninterrupted line), 72.7 ppm (“new core Lake Erie sediment, triangles), 41.1 ppm  (Graney et al., 1995 Lake Erie sediment, open circles), and 253,000 mt of lead additives to gasoline produced in the US, closed circles (see Methods).

While I don't recall it being reported in Cleveland before, Thaindian News, of Bangkok, Thailand, reported, on June 16, 2010, Leaded gasoline chief culprit for 20th century neurological defects, which raises significant concerns about lead poisoning issues in Cleveland, Ohio, and America-wide, finding “It raises the question, has leaded gasoline had a lasting effect on many present-day Cleveland adults?” From Thaindian.com:

Leaded gasoline is to be blamed for nearly two-thirds of toxic lead ingested or inhaled by African-American children in Cleveland during the latter two-thirds of the 20th century, says a new study.

According to researchers from Case Western Reserve University, their findings probably apply to many cities across the US and reinforce concerns about the health threat for children in countries still using leaded gasoline.

However, they emphasize that the results do not minimize the ongoing importance of current childhood lead exposure due to persistence and deterioration of leaded paint which was used as late as the 1960’s.

http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=225889,00.html

This makes my day--thank you to the amazing educators at Denison School!!

There is an insightful article in the September 13, 2010, Wall Street Journal - Turning Away From Coal - which points out "Power companies are increasingly switching to natural gas to fuel their electricity plants, driven by low prices and forecasts of vast supplies for years to come. While the trend started in the late 1990s, the momentum is accelerating and comes at the expense of coal. Some utilities are closing coal-fired plants; others are converting them to run on gas." Futher, "The switch is occurring globally and is getting a push from regulators who want to limit emissions that contribute to climate change, haze and health problems such as respiratory illness."

This is excellent news for citizens of Northeast Ohio, who are victims of pollution from burning coal in many local and upwind coal powerplants that cause serious health consequences here - one in particular that citizens are fighting now is operated by the Medical Center Company, in the heart of University Circle, Cleveland, Ohio. Regarding such small coal-fired powerplants, The Journal reports: "Most big coal-burning utilities have invested billions of dollars to install pollution-control equipment on their largest coal-fired plants. But they are replacing or idling smaller coal plants for which such expenditures can't be justified."

Cannabis Convention - Denver, CO April 02, 2010 from Cannabis Commerce on Vimeo.

Pro-pot, progressive-minded voters of NEO, are you envious of the tremendous legalization inroads made in pioneering states like Colorado? The ones Norm Roulet described on realNEO here and here? Well, with the benefit of a couple years worth of hindsight, you have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to actually improve upon legalization models developed by California and Colorado.

That’s right – disparaged, denigrated, and despoiled, Cleveland and NEO have a unique opportunity to shock the nation, transforming urban blight to urban bliss via cannabis commerce as Norm envisions with here and here.

But that can only happen if NEO pot proponents get it right from the start. I urge you to.

And I’m here to tell you exactly how you can.

Okay.... just pulled from the PD Headlines.. READ THIS ARTICLE ABOUT MORE OF THE BOARD OF REVISIONS TACTICS FOR PAY TO PLAY POLITICS....

COME ON CITIZENS....STOP ALLOWING THESE POLITICIANS TO GET AWAY WITH THESE SOCIAL INJUSTICES AT LARGE....VOTE TO ERADICATE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN CUYAHOGA COUNTY... WHILE I AM A LIFELONG DEMOCRAT-THEIR ACTIONS ARE VIOLATING EVERY SINGLE FAMILY IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THEY ARE LAUGHING AT HOW STUPID WE ALL MUST BE SO THAT THEY CAN LIVE LARGE!!! 

My name is Griet. I am a South African Boerboel. You say you have never heard of a South African Boerboel? Few people have. I am a rare breed of dog, a very old breed that was revived in South Africa in the 1980s, in fact I was born in Africa. Boerboels are a type of mastiff. My coat is fawn, I have a dramatic black mask and black ears, and my tail is docked. I have a very athletic build and weigh about 140 lbs.

As a young dog I was brought to East Cleveland by Jordan Pittman of Ohio Boerboels to be a breeder. I have now born over 60 puppies. For over a year now I have lived with Evelyn and Norm Roulet. Last summer Jordan gave me to them with the intention of retiring me. I looked really haggard at the time, having just weaned another litter. Although I am a very  healthy and fertile dog, I didn’t like being a breeder. I hate taking care of my puppies. I always kill off the most annoying ones from each of my litters.

What  if Martin Luther King gave up on his dream and then gave up on his people in his community.  What if Harriet Tubman gave up on her dream and mission. In nature only the weak give up because it is a death sentence. The pup that refuses water to drink will surely die. Rest assured I will never give up

Time really have changed. Even though I am not that old I have seen quite a bit in my day. This day I am deeply saddened when I look around at what is going on in our society and the conditions of people. What happened to love peace and harmony or did it ever exist in the first place?

Am I under an illusion thinking that people can work together for the common good of us all ?

Were does it start where do we begin?

There is an important historical investigation on war and modern culture featured on consortiumnews.com today - A Long History of America's Dark Side - that really highlights when the divide occurred meaning those who were born and came into consciousness in the 1970s and before, and experienced when the Viet Nam War became part of the daily American experience, are completely different than those coming into consciousness after that era, who were instead raised in a sanitized world fabricated under President Reagan et al and perfected since, which "authorized an aggressive domestic "public diplomacy" operation which practiced what was called "perception management" -- in effect, intimidating journalists to ensure that only sanitized information would reach the American people."

For those coming into consciousness before Reagan...

There are many good things to enjoy in Cleveland--here are some images from the past two days.  Cleveland as seen by transit and walking--no cars.

Images from the Sculpture Center, University Circle, East Fourth Street, Morgan Paper Conservancy and Octavofest exhibit at Cleveland Public Library.

In September 2009 I observed about Chicago... from The Reader: "Under Daley the city has embarked on aggressive tree planting, installed a green roof atop City Hall, and mapped out an ambitious plan to slash greenhouse gas emissions—but failed to ensure basic recycling services, force dirty power plants to clean up, or confront the city's traffic and transit problems... it did nothing to force the coal-fired power plants on the southwest side to cut emissions."

Citizen activism appears to have improved in Chicago, since then... citizens have become environmentalists, refusing to allow government to sustain dirty coal pollution and bad public health there.

That coal pollution has gone unchecked in Chicago, and will have broadly expanded in Illinois under Obama leadership in Illinois and the White House, may well put a nail in the coffin of Barack Obama's presidential aspirations for 2012... and this issue should keep Obama's right-hand-man Emanuel from succeeding in his pursuit to rule over the millions of poisoned citizens of Chicago, as mayor... and should stand in the way of Obama lifting Alexi Giannoulias into Obama's former Senate seat in Illinois, in November.

As the Obama administration continues the Bush doctrine to deny government responsibility to protect citizens from pollution.... Jeff Biggars asks, on AlterNet: "Will Rahm Emanuel and Other Chicago Mayoral Candidates Join the Clean Energy Race?"

Here's your choices for candidate for the November 02, 2010 election... Have you done your homework on the candidates & issues? 

As I recently wrote on realNEO, regarding legalizing medical marijuana in Ohio, Governor Ted Strickland “feels that the predominant opinion of the medical community is that there are existing medicines available that provide appropriate patient care. So based on that opinion and the current research, he feels this type of legislation doesn’t seem necessary or warranted.“

Yet "tens of thousands of sick people throughout California find relief from scores of ailments by using cannabis because this plant has so many healing qualities", according to Raymond Cushing's posting on Alternet - Prop. 19 Offers Major Potential for Some Cancer Patients.

So who is right... citizen-oriented AlterNet or our Governor, now seeking reelection.

On AlterNet we learn:

What begs discussion on the occasion of California’s historic vote, which the whole world is watching, is that cannabis has been shown in hundreds of laboratory studies over the past ten years not only to be physiologically harmless, but also to be the most potent anti-cancer agent found in nature. No other natural substance holds the cancer-stopping power of cannabis and that's a proven fact.

Federal prosecutors want more information on former Cuyahoga County Auditor Frank Russo's top aides

Legal Medical Marijuana from Broadway Wellness Medical Marijuana dispensary in South Denver, Colorado

How is it conceivable, in America today, that a seriously ill patient in Boulder, Colorado, may grow, purchase and have a medicine cabinet full of state-licensed medical marijuana (MMJ), while a similarly-ill patient in Cleveland may be imprisoned for pursuing the same medical treatment?

How, in the free-wheeling capitalist US of A, could some states and communities encourage free men and women to be MMJ-millionaires and patients, while MMJ-entrepreneurs and adherents in other markets are arrested... nearly 1 million of them a year.

Why would anyone choose to live in a state of Cannabis denial?

PolyCultures: Food Where We Live is a feature-length documentary movie that portrays the diverse communities around Northeast Ohio coming togetehr to grow a more sustainable and local food system: for the health of individuals, communities, local economies and the environment. 

Join the Growing Green in East Cleveland Initiative for the film and a discussion about food and health in our community. 

Raffle prizes, giveaways, and healthy snacks will be provided.

Location

Community gardens are flourishing in East Cleveland thanks to dedicated groups of volunteers who tend to their care.  While these gardens provide space to cultivate soild that grows fresh fruits and vegetables, they aslo cultivate community: building relationships between neighbors and gardeners, students and teachers, seniors and youth. Meet the gardeners, learn about each garden's history, and enjoy food samples made with garden fresh produce.  Each garden will showcase different activities, recipes, and giveaways.

Location

PolyCultures: Food Where We Live is a feature-length documentary movie that portrays the diverse communtiies around Northeast Ohio coming together to grow a more sustainable and local food system: for the halth of individuals, communtiies, local economies, and the environment. 

Join the Growing Green in East Cleveland Initiative for the film and a discussion about food and health in our community. 

Raffle prizes, giveaways, and health snacks will be provided!

Location

Richard Cordray evidently is getting on the ball about filing INJUNCTIONS on these banks for ROBO document issues....

Interesting to recognize that these MASTER PLANS are now available....wonder how many citizens even have a clue about these plans for their futures??? It might amaze you to read up on plans created as far back as 1992, 1996, 1999...and 2010...they've been doing this for years under an actual "MASTER PLAN" methodology!!! Amazing how they communicate with the actual citizens/stakeholders about these plans...NOT! 

Click here to load video below...

From a Telegraph article on this video, "Two French female students have made a film of the pair of them strolling through the streets of Paris in a niqab, bare legs and mini-shorts as a critique of France's recently passed law".

"In an opinion piece published on the news website, rue89, the anonymous duo – political science and communication students in their twenties – said the film was a tongue-in-cheek way of criticising France's niqab ban, which the Senate passed last month and is due to go into force early next year"

"To put a simple burka on would have been too simple. So we asked ourselves: 'how would the authorities react when faced with women wearing a burka and mini-shorts?," asked the students, one of whom is a Muslim.

2010 is a definitive year for the Ohio Democratic Party, as all the Democratic leaders of Northeast Ohio are entangled in webs of corruption, tarnishing the Party state- and nation-wide, to the White House, as all Democratic leaders of Ohio must explain poorer economic performance statewide than is the national average, which has been poor under Obama.... with no good vision for the state and nation for the future... with important elections upon us in November.

To keep the purple state of Ohio blue in 2010 and for 2012, where Democrats have largely been in-charge in the past, the Democratic machine needs to show it is serious about changing how it does business here in the future, while going the distance with Obama, and getting the job done in Ohio... no matter how long that takes.