In the images of Frank Giglio's home, I saw a house that had been built with some of the tenets of the Arts and Crafts movement. Sadly, we have no appreciation for fine construction and buildings built to last. I google mapped Frank's house and realize now that Google has provided another way to capture the essence of an area: http://www.panoramio.com/

Much has been written about the long-standing battle "fought" by our "heroic" safety forces and the oppression they "endure," while their families "suffer" the indignity of having to actually "live" in the city that pays their wages.

Has it been 30 years already?

Cleveland’s default, I was reminded by a call from WCPN, has an anniversary tomorrow - 30 years since the city was taken over the brink by Mayor Dennis Kucinich, Council President George Forbes, the Cleveland corporate community and the Plain Dealer.

A call from WCPN program host Rick Jackson sent me to check some old articles on the news of those days in Point of View, the newsletter I wrote to try and counter the propaganda of the Pee Dee and its corporate string-pullers. WCPN will have a report on the default Monday morning.

If you read Realneo, or contribute content to Realneo – (or are involved/interested in any other NEO web site for that matter) - you're welcome to show up at Dewey's Coffee in Shaker Square this Wednesday, December 17, 2008, between 6:00pm and 8:00pm. I will be there, along with other Realneo habitués.

This low key GetToKnowThePeopleBehindTheirUserNameEvent will, in the Holiday Spirit, be byoc (buy your own coffee).

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About the time some wacked-out over-empowered government wonks were demolishing Frank Giglio's Historic Landmark house, on his city-desecrated urban farm, all the "restorationists" in our Society were abuzz about the chance to rub elbows with Timothy "Art Is Back" Rub at the sell-out "36th installment of our Community Luncheon" Cleveland Restoration Society self-love-fest, held last week at Wyndham Cleveland, at Playhouse Square...

Steve Litt writes about transportation issues and Obama's infrastructure funding in NEO in today's PD:

The late Ed Hauser - who in death has become a symbol of responsible citizen action - reached out yesterday to seriously question the motives of the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority’s operations via a letter based on a conversation he had the day before he died.

County Prosecutor Bill Mason yesterday dropped $50,000 into the lap of one of Cleveland’s premier political law firms – Climaco, Lefkowitz, Peca, Wilcox and Garofoli.

The firm also is a heavy political contributor via a political action committee (PAC). The Climaco firm PAC is typically prominent in political filings of campaign contributions.

When Squire-Sanders & Dempsey boss Fred Nance presented the report on the site selection committee for the medical mart and the convention center I thought the Greater Cleveland Partnership paid for the study.

Any reasonable person would.

The press conference (some four months ago) was held under the auspices of the Greater Cleveland Partnership and run by Nance.

Mayor Frank Jackson in his latest “Cleveland – It’s Our Time” sends us a piece written about Pittsburgh that gives the lie to the Chamber of Commerce article on Cleveland’s rival city as presented by the Plain Dealer on its front page recently.

  Are there any citizens left in Cuyahoga County. I mean real CITIZENS.  If there are, please show some civic responsibility. Please raise your voices.

The next Cleveland Cuyahoga County Board of Directors Meeting is scheduled for Friday, December 12, 2008 at 8:30 a.m. in the Forum Conference Center located on the 2nd floor of One Cleveland Center. 

They'll be reviewing and approving the 2009 budget.

Draft Agenda Attached

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In a discussion on Friday’s Dick Feagler TV show, Plain Dealer editor Susan Goldberg mentioned the possibility that newspapers might drop Monday and Tuesday editions, starting the week with Wednesday when they have ads, usually from the supermarkets.

I’ve thought of that too.

IT IS TIME TO REDUCE REGRESSIVE TAXATION IN CUYAHOGA COUNTY; IT IS TIME TO STOP TAXING LOW INCOME PEOPLE FOR HIGHER INCOME DESIRES.

 We are too busy to remember that the taxes discussed below are relentlessly collected every day, hour and minute on required purchases by all of us. 

Current Research on Soil Remediation Technologies
Dr. Nick Basta of the Ohio State University

Dr. Basta will present timely information on his current research into inexpensive and effective ways to treat lead and other contaminants in the soil. Utilizing these techniques could prove to be a powerful tool in dealing with Cleveland's Lead Crisis. Please forward this invite to others whom you feel would benefit.

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They didn’t have to do it that way, did they?

Editorial people from two newspapers sent e-mails to me about how layoffs were handled at their newspapers.
It differed from how the Plain Dealer handled its exit for loyal employees.

In both case layoffs, they said, it was done by seniority. (Somehow the newspaper guild at the Plain Dealer gave away its seniority rights.)

You could watch two of the most pathetic Americans of our time on television tonight trying to evade responsibility.

President George W. Bush tell us, “We are in a recession…This is in large part because of severe problems in our housing, credit and financial markets, which have resulted in significant job losses.”

Apparently, Frank Giglio's house in Tremont was demolished today. So much for sharing and caring and community and holiday spirit in NEO.

Can you say, “Let’s give some money away?!”

Apparently, the Ohio House of Representatives, particularly Republican members, love to say it.

Now they want to give “film makers” tax credits, capped out at $100-million.

Hey, what’s $100-million anymore when we taxpayers are giving away tens of billions of dollars to thieves on Wall Street?

How badly handled was the layoff plan at the Plain Dealer?
Very badly, I’d say.

It seemed designed by lawyers to set tensions at the high level.

See addition below article (also note that Damian Guevara took the buyout and wasn't relieved of his job, as also taking buyouts were April McClellan-Copeland and Jesse Tinsley).

Plain Dealer editorial staff dressed in black today, according to staff members, as the news dribbled in that colleagues had gotten the dreaded call that they were no longer needed.

It may seem odd that there’s so much attention paid to those being laid off at the Plain Dealer when so many others are losing their jobs by the hundreds and by the thousands.

However, there is something different about the news media because of the importance of news to a democracy. We are dependent upon these sources for the information as citizens.

Cleveland Foundation Neighborhood Connections Community Conversation on constructive use of vacant land.

Learn how grassroots organizations reused Vacant Lank in their community to create an urban farm, build neighborhood parks, and create environmentally friendly green space.

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"Currently, Cleveland's airport line attracts only about 300 riders a day, but airport and RTA officials are working on a joint marketing program to promote the rapid, which celebrated its 40th anniversary this month.

The following is the message to Plain Dealer reporters from Editor Susan Goldberg that will mean 27 people will find out with a phone call that their services are no longer required.

It gives privacy, says Goldberg, not to mention a cold message of job loss. Couldn't it have been handled more humanly?

Here's the message:

Colleagues: