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

One nice thing about Cleveland and Cuyahoga County is that they treat every citizen and land owner in the same fair and square way - when it comes to taxes, TIFs, subsidies, UDAG funds, building code enforcement, and “favors”.

Fair and Square.

With lots of sunshine thrown in.

Today’s Plain Dealer is very instructive.

The Metro pages have little news in six pages.
Ironically, the major metro page ad is from bad boy Auditor Frank Russo. It is a listing of delinquent personal property taxes – smaller than usual since the tax is being eliminated. Even so, the Russo ad takes up the entire second page and four inches across Page 6, which is dominated by the weather report, not news.

Then paid obituary notices eat up two full pages and a bit more.
The front Metro page is dominated – not by hard news - but by a sports story out of Avon.

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.

Stop by for our Starving Artist Sale in the foyer where you can get great deals on great pieces and help out a starving artist!

Also, check out our clearance sale where you can get designer consignments for as little as $1.99!

Friday ArtWalk Hours: 5pm - 10pm

SC&C
2415 Tremont Avenue
Cleveland, OH  44113

216.241.7720

Located in historic Tremont on the corners of Jefferson and Tremont Avenue.

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

How do we (once and for all!) get rid of failed leadership?

I can't resist weighing in on the Illinois Senate appointment, the "go slow" Illinois legislature and events that can lead to the loss of a Senate Democrat seat. The common refrain is that Governor Blagojevich has lawfully appointed an individual who should be allowed to take the Senate seat. But if the Governor had been recorded and was awaiting prosecution for some other horrendous violation, we wouldn't be doubting the Senate's ability, desire and power to deny the seat.

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.

horrifing Video: Israeli clusterbomb hits Gaza Marketplace

Sending several links because YouTube has a habit of pulling such things off their site

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4cYtBmtTFo

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=carnage+gaza&search_sort=video_date_uploaded

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?

a snapshot from new year's day in the flats...not much left on the ground, so i turn to structure]

Congratulations Mr. Feagler on your retirement. You may not remember me, the sullen teen dragged along by her father at Higbee's at the Westgate Mall and Rustic's, but I grew up with you, and to me, you finally get to realize my father's dream of Neverland.