Oh Eight

1.02-1.09.07
Oh-Eight

In this week’s issue:
* Ingenious Playwright Peter Lawson Jones
* BFD The Breuer Trust Tower makes list of the ten Bloggiest Places in America
* Sounds Requiem for Failed Suicides from Steven K. Smith
* Straight Outta Mansfield A New Year, Why Not a New Beginning?
* Eats Considering the Feast in Akron, starting with Hynde’s VegiTerranean
* RoldoLINK Pee Dee Shortchanges its Readers
* Cool Cleveland Kids podcast click here, CC podcast click here, Brewed Fresh Daily here

It’s amazing what you find when you peel back the layers and look a little closer at this region. Cleveland’s Prelude2Cinema is launching an innovative branded TV series & other vehicles. There’s talk of minor league baseball on the West Side. Brulant becomes one of the fastest growing interactive firms in the country, while Blues purveyor Kristine Jackson heads to the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, and we’re oh so pleased for both of them. Chatter about the Breuer Tower makes it the 10th bloggiest place in the US, making us one of the most talked about places in the blogosphere. We profile the acting and playwriting side of County Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones. Cle label Skean Dhu releases Steven K. Smith’s new disc, while Mansfield betrays his concern for children by throwing focus on a Harlem project, and Roldo offers his opinion on recent moves by our daily paper and our Downtown councilman. We show you how to eat your way through Akron, starting with Akron Rock Hall inductee Chrissy Hynde’s new VegiTerranean restaurant. And guess which state is the only one where exports have increased in each of the past 8 years? Oh really? Why are we not surprised? —Thomas Mulready


Politician as Playwright
An Interview with Peter Lawson Jones

In a life not deficient in highlights, one of the bigger ones in the life of Peter Lawson Jones was directing his own fully-staged play The Family Line at Harvard during his senior year there. The play was about family, although not necessarily his. But his mom and dad—Margaret and Charles—came to see it happen. It’s not hard to understand then, why family is of the utmost importance to the charismatic politician who seldom shows his creative side even to other politicians or attorneys. That reticence will come to a major halt in January, 2008.

First, he’s one of the most interesting people in NorthEast Ohio in the January issue of Cleveland Magazine. And second – he’s laying it all out there for everyone to see when, for the first time in 28 years, he takes the stage as an actor. Two years ago, he dipped his toe back into the theatrical waters, reading the stage directions for a Cleveland-influenced new play. As a benefit for Karamu House, artistic director Terrence Spivey brought together the well-known actors Ruby Dee and Bill Cobb (both with Cleveland connections) for a staged reading of St. Lucy’s Eyes by Cleveland playwright Bridgette Wimberley. This particular event was part of the inaugural season of FusionFest, the successful blending of multiple artforms and companies, hosted by the Cleveland Play House in May of that year. (The Play House had previously staged Wimberly’s second play, Forest City, in 2003.)

The project went so well that Spivey and Jones wanted to collaborate on something else, which led to another staged reading…

Read more from Kelly Ferjutz here

A hot selection of tech and business news & events from around the region. Got business news? Send it to: EVENTS@CoolCleveland.com

What should Clevelanders ask Santa for this holiday season? Watch
Ohiobiz.com relaunches with more facets than you can shake your mouse at. Click
A New York firm snags WJW television from Fox as a part of network’s 2nd tier market reorg. Read
Startup Summit Data Communication niche biz launched by 5 guys who left Cisco Systems’ Richfield office. Read
Datacore Consulting comes to Cle market with e-marketing, growth. Read
Brulant named 13th fastest growing interactive marketing firms, in Weatherhead 100. Read
Pumpadoodle creates local music for kids right nere in NEO. Read
Motley Fool projects our very own Cedar Fair as 1 of 4 fun stocks to buy in 08. Read

Positively Plexus Plexus is hosted by Positively Cleveland re: the LGBT Visitor’s Guide Tue 1/8. Want to check it out? Click and Click Again
Future of Design: Biomimicry An E4S Workshop with the Biomimicry Guild Mon 1/7Wed 1/9 at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Details
Cle Engineering Society announces meet and greet schedule starting Wed 1/9. Details and Winter Schedule
Don Tapscott Author of Wikinomics speaks at EJT @ UofA Thu 1/10 at 7PM. Part of 2008 Forum speaker series. Details
E4S Third Tuesday Networking Event hits Tue 1/15 Register
Disaster Recovery is subject of Crain’s January 2008 Biz B-fast Wed 1/16 at 7:30AM @ City Club of Cle. Register
Acquiring Capital for Sm Biz keynote feat. Ray Dalton from PartsSource LLC Fri 1/18 at 7:30AM Corp Coll East. 3 Panel Forum of experts follows. Show Me the Money!
The Next eMarketing Technique Series starts up at Corp Coll East on Mon 1/28. Register

SPONSORED: Are We Bragging? Maybe. But we’re taking our cue from national news stories posted by U.S. News & World Report and the Dow Jones Newswire. And it is good stuff. For instance, did you know that several high schools in the NEO region received high marks from US News & World Report in their recent feature of America’s best high schools? True! Some of the schools that were mentioned include: Aurora High School, Bay High School, Bloomfield High School, and Cleveland School of the Arts High School. And Forbes.com ranked Akron as the fifth best place in the country to get an education. Another cool NEO story came from the Dow Jones Newswire which reported that Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. recently announced that it is working with NASA’s Glenn Research Center to develop non-pneumatic tires for use on the moon. The moon, dude! Score! For more info go here.

More Salsa photos! Maybe you were there, maybe you weren’t. Either way, you can enjoy clicking through the new photos by Jay Levan of our last Cool Cleveland Salsa Holiday party in collaboration with http://www.TropicalCleveland.com at Sunset Lounge here. See the partygoers participating in the comp Salsa lessons, Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready sitting in on drums with Descarga Soul, the fabulous buffet from Mallorca & Brasa and sushi from Sunset, and the lucky winner of an iPod, courtesy of Cool Cleveland. You can enter the ongoing contest to win an iPhone or iPod by clicking here. Sign up a friend, and you’re both entered to win.

To ensure you receive Cool Cleveland every week, take a moment now and add CoolCleveland@CoolCleveland.com to your address book, trusted sender list, or corporate white list.

Prelude2Cinema launches Branded TV Network a police/ sci-fi TV series in Cle called Out of Darkness. Click
Cleaner water for Lake Erie this summer? Sounds good to us. Click
A Stadium in Avon? Minor league baseball on the west side? Looks that way. Read
Daily paper gives CC a nod for the Tropical Rhythms party. Read

Do you know of a promising visual artist of ethnic origin living in the Northeast Ohio area who deserves recognition and support for their talent and commitment to their craft? Help upport artists who are committed to establishing themselves in the art world by nominating them to the 2008 Emerging Artist Program. Nominators are to submit at least three (3) and no more than five (5) high resolution images (300 dpi burned to a CD) bio and artistic statement of one (1) paragraph along with this nomination form no later than 5pm on Fri 1/25 to: Sankofa Fine Art Plus, 540 East 105th Street, Suite 208, Cleveland, Ohio 44108. For a nomination form and more information go to http://www.clevelandfineartexpo.com or email: info@sankofafineartplus.org.

Local Musician Kristine Jackson is preparing to head to the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN on Thu 1/31 to represent our Cleveland area music scene as a solo artist. This year Kristine has been officially sponsored by the Mahoning Valley Blues Society, one of the contributing organizations endorsed by the Blues Foundation and the sponsors of the International Blues Challenge. Of the nearly $3K needed overall, a studio recording is underway with the hope it will be done in time for her departure. Want a sample? Click here. Wanna help? Donations of $50, $100 or more can help underwrite the initial up-front costs. Pledge via email to michaelyates@alltel.net or call 440-610-1934. And hey, If you can round up some of your music friends that would like to help the effort then all the better. http://www.mikesbarn.com.

Cool Cleveland Podcast Weekly roundup of cool events.

Click here to subscribe to the Cool Cleveland Podcast in iTunes.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Mad Men of Comedy Tour Get a load of comedians Doug Saulnier, Jason Dixon, Jeff Blanchard, Quinn Patterson and Last Call Cleveland’s Mike Polk Wed 1/2 at 8PM at the Cleveland Improv in the Flats. Expect a myriad of targets, intelligently railed on and roasted. 2000 Sycamore St. http://www.clevelandimprov.com.

Skate-A-Thon Lace up your skates for a good cause! On Thu 1/3 from 10AM – 10PM, Lock 3 Park’s ice skating rink will be filled with skaters of all ages. And you’re invited! Bring a non-perishable food item for the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank to enter Skate-A-Thon 2008 and qualify to win some cool prizes. Sponsored by the City of Akron Bureau of Recreation Sports & Athletic Division. http://www.akroncantonfoodbank.org. http://www.holidayfest.org.

SPONSORED: Is Your 2008 New Year’s Resolution geared toward doing something good for yourself and your family? Would you like to improve your life with a better career, but realize that going back to school is the first step? You’re not alone. Join other professionals at our MBA Open House and learn more about B-W’s graduate business programs. You’ll have an opportunity to visit campus and speak with faculty and students who will help you understand our various programs. Bring a friend! Beachwood Open House: Mon 1/7 at 6PM.
 B-W East in Beachwood
, Landmark Centre Building, 
Suite #100, 
25700 Science Park Drive. Berea Open House: 
Wed 1/9 at 6PM. Strosacker College Union,
 Sandstone III, 
120 E. Grand Street, 
Berea. For more information go to www.bw.edu/

HOT Masumi Closing Join curator Susan R. Channing on Fri 1/4 at 6PM for an informal discussion/benediction on Masumi Hayashi, Meditations: Heartland and the artist’s impact on the Cleveland community. As an evening benediction, two members of GroundWorks Dancetheater will present an original piece choreographed by Artistic Director David Shimotakahara in honor of Masumi Hayashi to close the exhibition. This event is no cost, and open to the public. 2220 Superior Viaduct. Call 621-2314 or visit http://www.spacesgallery.org.

The Ethics of Exit Gerard F. Powers, director of policy studies at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at University of Notre Dame, will speak about the central moral issue of the war — the nature and extent of U.S. responsibilities to the Iraqi people —and what the U.S. owes Iraq with its exit from Iraq at noon on Fri 1/4 at The City Club of Cleveland. http://www.cityclub.org.

HOT CPT’s Big [BOX] offers artists or groups the opportunity to self-produce their own works and focus on whatever the artist(s) want. Cleveland Public Theatre opens the doors and lets the creatives experiment, chart their own course, make their own decisions, take their own risks. The latest installment of the Big [Box] series launches Fri 1/4 and runs through mid-Feb. You never know what you’re in for, other than engagement from the stage. Don’t confuse minimalism and resourcefulness with lack of style and quality. And don’t miss it, either. http://www.cptonline.org.

Pete McDonald & The Waxwings String Band play the Beachland Ballroom Fri 1/4 at 8:30PM (with a 7:30PM door). Special guests Gypsy Dave & The Stump Jumpers open the festivities. Beachland Ballroom on Waterloo. http://www.beachlandballroom.com.

The Cat’s Meow Combine your passion for all-things-feline with your love of art! The Red Brick Center for the Arts Presents The Cat’s Meow Exhibit and Reception, celebrating the works of Sue Wall and Jean Hall Tont, at Mojo’s Coffee and More, 600 Dover Center Rd., Bay Village on Fri 1/4 at 6:30PM. For more information call 440-527-0627 or visit http://www.redbrickarts.org.

SPONSORED: Beginning this week, WCLV’s weekly broadcast of The Cleveland City Club Forum will be heard at 9PM on Fridays. WCLV, which has carried the City Club Forum since 1970, will continue to broadcast the City Club Forum live at 12:30 PM on the Internet at www.wclv.com. With this change, WCLV’s “Cleveland Orchestra Showcase” moves to Fridays at 10PM, and the weekly New York Philharmonic broadcasts move to Mondays at 9PM. Compete details on all of WCLV’s programming can be found at http://www.wclv.com.

Three Generations of Russian Impressionists Explore the depth in this collection of oil paintings of Veniamin Kremer, Mark Kremer and Alexander Kremer (grandfather, father and son) starting Sat 1/5 at Opus Gallery in Woodmere. Impressionism may have had had its roots in France, but it was embraced all over the world and was particularly influential for Russian artists in the late 19th century. 27629 Chagrin Blvd., Woodmere. Call 595-1376 for details.

HOT Ascherman: Bodies 1967 – 2007 Cleveland’s premier portrait photographer is establishing himself as a major art photographer; explore the depth in his works on display. From Severance Hall musicians to Holocaust survivors, he has recorded the public face of Cleveland’s cultural and artistic world. Explore Ascherman’s works Sat 1/5 through Mid Feb as he unveils four decades of exploring human sexuality in all its fascinating variety. Corcoran Fine Arts Gallery, 13210 Shaker Square. http://www.corcoranfinearts.com.

EarthWorks Native American cultures that once flourished in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and West Virginia constructed earthworks that rivaled Stonehenge in astronomical accuracy. Learn about the the region’s ancient architecture revival Sun 1/6 at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, as this exhibition ends. The lost heritage of ancient earthworks from 39 sites in the Ohio Valley and their associated artifacts disappear after today — lost again for who knows how long! What better way to spend your Sunday? Noon – 5PM. Call 231-4600 or visit http://www.cmnh.org.

Grog Musician’s Night with the Uncanny XeLa hits the Coventry neighborhood in a big way with local musician/enigma XeLa leading the charge every Monday in January and February. Do you play in a band? Think you’re the next Van Halen? Could Neil Peart learn a thing or two from you? Are you a maniac on the kazoo? Musician’s of all types, shapes, and sizes are encouraged to strut their stuff. There will be an open sign-up every Monday starting Mon 1/7 until 10PM. Visit http://www.grogshop.gs or call 321-5588 for details. 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cle Hts.

Evan Fallenberg The local author signs his debut novel Light Fell at joseph-Beth Booksellers at Legacy Village Mon 1/7 at 7PM. His story about family, faith and love centers on Joseph Licht, who left behind his entire life – his wife, five sons, his father and the religious Israeli farming community where he grew up – and had an affair. As the family prepares for a reunion, Joseph, his sons and his former wife must confront what was, what is and what could have been. 24519 Cedar Rd., Lyndhurst. http://www.josephbeth.com.

Protect the Great Lakes Basin State Rep. Matt Dolan (R-Geauga County) will discuss the future of the Great Lakes region at a special meeting of the Northeastern Ohio Watershed Council (NEOW) Tue 1/8 at 6:30PM at Ohio EPA’s Northeast District Offices, 2110 East Aurora Road, Twinsburg. Dolan is the sponsor of Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact (Ohio HB416). The measure sets standards across the region to protect Lake Erie and other Great Lakes water from mass export and overuse. http://www.theoec.org.

The Power of I Am with Jonathan Maxwell Taylor hits Tue 1/8 at 7:30PM at The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Blvd. in Shaker Hts. The award winning actor and acclaimed author shares his message of personal empowerment in the real world. Learn to bring out the best in yourself and others, eliminate fear, and find security in a world of constant change. Call 556-5683 or visit http://www.shadybrook.org.

HOT Intersection of Art & Technology The Council of Smaller Enterprises’ (COSE) Arts Network will host a forum for arts-related businesses Wed 1/9 from 4 – 6PM at The Idea Center at Playhouse Square’s Westfield Insurance Theater. Presented with the Ingenuity Festival of Art and Technology, will examine how technology can help artists actualize their vision, assist with their process, and deepen the experience of their viewers and audiences. Includes featured panelist from Carnegie Mellon’s Entertainment Technology Center and Ingenuity participants. http://www.cose.org.

The Odd Couple Neil Simon’s comedy may be one of the funniest plays of all time. Carousel offers up the classic TV and movies scenes of the “Friday Night Poker Games,” “The Pigeon Sisters,” the famous “Spaghetti Linguini Scene” — not even to mention the timeless question: “How do two recently divorced bachelors live together without driving each other crazy?” The answer of course is, they don’t! Starts on the Carousel stage Wed 1/9 at 8PM and runs through late February. 1275 E. Waterloo, Akron. Schedule and directions at http://www.carouseldinnertheatre.com.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

HOT Bonnie Erickson Talks Muppets Did you know that Miss Piggy’s full name is Miss Piggy Lee? Or that episodes of The Muppet Show™ were taped in London? Learn more interesting trivia from Bonnie Erickson, former Design Director for The Jim Henson Company and President-Elect of The Jim Henson Legacy, as she introduces the first three programs in The Cleveland Museum of Art’s January film series, Muppets™, Music & Magic: Jim Henson’s Legacy, and answers questions from the audience. Erickson created Miss Piggy, Statler and Waldorf, The Newsman and Zoot when she was part of the original design team for The Muppet Show™. Enjoy the immersion Fri 1/4 at 7PM, Sat 1/5 at 1:30PM and Sun 1/6 at 1:30PM. Schedule of films (including The Dark Crystal and The Muppet Movie) and talks at http://www.clevelandart.org.

HOT Free Playhouse Square Tours Peeks backstage and from the stage, along with fascinating facts and anecdotes from the past 86 years, make Playhouse Square’s Free Theater Tours an engaging morning for theater buffs, students of art or architecture, and children of all ages. All that is required is a good pair of walking shoes and about two hours. For 2008, free tours of Playhouse Square’s historic 1921 theaters will be conducted only on Saturdays, beginning Sat 1/5, running through early Nov. Tours begin in the State Theatre Lobby at 10AM, and leave from that location at 15-minute intervals until 11:30 am. No reservations are needed for individual participants, but groups of 10-or-more are asked to call ahead at 771-4444 so arrangements can be made for their group. http://www.playhousesquare.com.

SPONSORED: Be Part of the International Tour by visiting CMA to experience the masterworks in painting, drawing, prints, and sculpture by the most important and influential artists of the modernist era: Monet, Cézanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Rodin, Picasso, Matisse, Brancusi, Duchamp, and Dalí. Check out the impressive “Impressionist and Modern Masters” exhibit at the Cleveland Museum of Art now through Sun 1/13/08. This exhibition has no charge and is open to the public. The exhibit began its international tour in May ‘06 and will visit three other cities in North America after its stop in Cleveland. Over 500,000 visitors attended in Beijing, Tokyo, and Seoul and another 200,000 in Vancouver, Canada. Impressionist and Modern Masters features over 130 works from the museum’s distinguished collection of 19th and 20th century European art. For more info go to www.clevelandart.org.

Elvis, the King Conceived 20 years ago to satisfy the throngs of Elvis fans, The Elvis Birthday Tribute features over two hours of live music featuring some of the world’s best Elvis re-creators. The show will take place in the State Theatre on Sun 1/6 at 7PM. The Elvis Birthday Tribute recreates the memorable Elvis eras including his rockabilly beginnings, the military years, the movie years and his comeback, all the way up to his Las Vegas days. http://www.playhousesquare.com.

Cool Cleveland Kids Podcast Weekly roundup of cool events for kids & families from 11-year-old Cool Cleveland Kids correspondent Max.

Click here to subscribe to the Cool Cleveland Kids Podcast in iTunes.


This week’s most active post on BrewedFreshDaily.com

The Breuer Trust Tower ranked tenth on outside.in’s list of the ten Bloggiest Places in America, ‘the physical locations that are right now at the forefront of the collective mind of U.S. bloggers’ writes Jeff Schuler. “NEO made no appearance on the lists of America’s Bloggiest Neighborhoods or Bloggiest Cities.”

Readers comment:

* Let’s hope that our “leaders” visit blogs to find out how poorly their decision-making skills are viewed by the world community. comment by Laura McShane

* I would suggest that if realneo where picked up as a blog, the Breuer Cleveland discussion would move up in the list of local “bloggiest places” in America. comment by Jeff Buster

* Jeff Schuler, this is some good stuff. comment by Tim Ferris

If you weren’t one of the Cool Cleveland readers who click thru last week (putting it into the Top Five), you can see the entire post and add your thoughts here

Links to interesting NEO blogs

Ohio is the only state in the nation where exports have expanded in each of the past eight years.
Home figures for Cleveland’s West Side look pretty good for 2007.
Pacific East has finally opened in Eton.
Winterhurst, The Coolest Place in Town.

Requiem for Failed Suicides
Steven K. Smith
Skean Dhu

Cleveland indie label Skean Dhu celebrates its 5th anniversary this year with the release of Requiem for Failed Suicides – a solo effort by Steven K. Smith, a member of Cleveland shoegazer band Mabou and the ambient-tribal multimedia act called Dolmen. Smith’s solo project straddles the line between his tribal, ritualistic work with Dolmen and his more accessible post rock work he’s done with Mabou. Quietly tumultuous, the morbidly titled disc’s ten instrumental cuts are a sonic basilisk and really should accompany a futuristic Ridley Scott film. Perhaps if Scott ever decided to film Ender’s Game. Ah, perchance to dream.

Requiem is stark, cinematic and shadowy, bordering on swirling goth at some points, and shares sonic flavors with the listener that recall, Opeth’s Deliverance, Porcupine Tree leader Steven Wilson’s Blackfield projects and Trent Reznor’s headier, Enoesque productions (perhaps parts of The Fragile). The whole first half builds with inspired, machine-wrenching tension; cuts like “Summer Hymns,” “You Destroy What I Love” and the tumultuous “The Death of Us All (Cleveland)” are intriguing. And while Requiem never exactly nails any of those reference points mentioned above, it certainly makes for an inspired spin. This is desolate, but essential, late night listening. Break out your favorite black clothing for this one.

From Cool Cleveland Managing Editor Peter Chakerian peterATcooolcleveland.com

Wanna get reviewed? Send your band’s CD (less than 1 year old) to: Cool Cleveland, 14837 Detroit Avenue, #105, Lakewood, OH 44107

A New Year, Why Not a New Beginning?

One of the more noteworthy national speakers in the arena of child welfare spent the day in Cleveland in December, and he wowed audiences wherever he went. I heard Geoffrey Canada at the Fatima Family Center where he was the first speaker in The City Club’s planned series of hosting events in neighborhoods.

Canada is the executive director of the Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ), which, according to its website, is “a pioneering, non-profit, community-based organization founded in 1970 that works to enhance the quality of life for children and families in some of New York City’s most devastated neighborhoods. HCZ’s 15 centers serve more than 13,000 children and adults, including over 10,000 at-risk children. The emphasis of The Children’s Zone work is not just on education, social service and recreation, but on rebuilding the very fabric of community life.” The organizational structure and mission certainly sounds like something we could use here in Cleveland…
Read more from Mansfield Frazier here

Yes, the Rocker’s Restaurant Rocks
Considering the Feast in Akron, starting with Hynde’s VegiTerranean

You may be hesitant to travel south of the Cleveland border and into Akron territory, but some things are definitely worth the ride. Rocker Chrissie Hynde’s VegiTerranean restaurant is such an example. A 2005 Rock Hall inductee and the Pretenders’ bandleader, Hynde has long been a supporter of animal rights, and a devout vegetarian since 1969. Returning to her hometown roots, Chrissie’s vegetarian restaurant opened September of last year in the Akron art district known locally as OZ.

No one has had more trepidation about meatless meals and soy burgers than me, but the news is out all around town…VegiTerranean is a whole new level of fine dinning without the health and factory farm issues that get served up at traditional chain restaurants. My friend and I decided to give our skepticism a turn at bat and headed out with empty bellies and wry smiles…

Read more from Deb Dockery here

Pee Dee Shortchanges its Readers

Pee Dee editor Susan Goldberg obviously has been trying to find a way to keep junk from dominating the paper’s front page to meet the growing criticism of a Page One that disgusts many readers.

The front page of Saturday, December 29, reveals the strategy I’ve noticed.

Junk dominates. Dutifully, the orange Browns football helmet accompanied by a meaningless promotional piece sits atop the page. It runs three inches deep across the entire top of the page.

Below it, we are given a second sports presentation. A big one. It runs five-and-a-half columns wide, 13 plus inches long. This piece is about Cleveland’s “latest pro hockey team.” It’s more a free fluff ad posing as news.

This has become the prototype Pee Dee front page…
Read more from Roldo Bartimole here


Cool Cleveland readers write
All letters must include your full name (required) and you may include your e-mail address (optional).
Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

On boomers and beyond I love CoolCleveland.com and CoolCleveland for kids. I always know where to look for ideas for things to do with my grandkids. Thank you. So when are you going to start a CoolCleveland segment for the other end of the spectrum . . . Boomers and Beyond 55?
from Cool Cleveland reader Barbara Comiskey comiskeyATprodigy.net

On Roldo (See Is This Forest City’s Bow-out & Jackson’s Cash Cow? here) Roldo’s comments I find pathetic and not atypical of the pervasive anti business attitude among many here. While born here (lived here one year) I lived 24 years in the South and while based in Atlanta I was involved in real estate finance or development in many Southern cities. There are many reasons why that region grew and this region atrophied. UDAG grants were created by the government specifically to fund projects in cities that were dying because private money would not touch those declining markets. And developers are business people, not charities. Further, they do not “owe” it to anyone to lose money. Anyone in commercial real estate knows that Tower City is a huge white elephant and Forest City is subsidizing it at large losses. Don’t know about the Marriott, Wyndam or Key Center. Suffice to say none of these would exist had it not been for the financial structures created to make it worthwhile for these developers to invest time and money in challenging market conditions. Many other developers would simply walk from Tower City, thank whatever that they haven’t and that they continue to keep it in first class shape. Downtown “floats” on public money? For Christ’s sake, could you imagine what downtown would be like if these facilities were not built? As to Ratner and Miller, the latter whom I do not know, why do you suppose they continue to work their asses off, have incredible schedules and have enormous projects, urban projects no less, all over the country (urban projects are by far the most difficult to put together because of all the agendas and complexity of assembling land). Albert is about 80 and Sam is around 85. I thought those “fat cats” were supposed to spend their time on their yachts entertaining and being entertained by bimbos. Cleveland is damned lucky to have Forest City here. It will be interesting to see if they stay once Albert and Sam leave the scene. I personally know Albert is deeply concerned about the state of the State and Region and has been struggling to find a solution or solutions. His wife told him he “cannot face reality,” and I heard him say several months ago, “she’s right! I hate reality, I WANT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!” And he is trying, he is currently working on a major program to get significant investment in the region, and he intends to get a great deal of private money into it. And, yes, he is concerned about the lack of leadership. But he is an amazing guy, he and Sam have built one amazing company. And like I said, I do not know Sam but I do know a good number of folks who have benefited from his grant giving and largess. But it is typical of this region that they get no credit from the likes of people like Roldo. As for downtown “floating on a sea of public money,” I’d say it is sinking despite enormous efforts by developers like Ratner and now Stark to bring life to the Region’s economy. Crap attitudes are a large part of the problem. Money and talent go where it is welcome. The Region is improving with the advent of angel investor groups with a younger demographic than the “old boy” networks, and other initiatives such as the Fund for our Economic Future. And, for good measure I’d add the work you are doing with “Cool Cleveland.” And it was a great Salsa party!
from Cool Cleveland reader Harry Weller hwelleriiiATadelphia.net

Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

Most clicked
Here are the Top 5 most clicked links from last week’s issue, with one more chance for you to click.

1) RoldoLINK Disgraced Visitors Bureau Fed $100 Million by Cuyahoga County.
www.CoolCleveland.com

2) Emerging Cleveland Tours Showing the new Cleveland to ex-pats home for the holidays.
www.EmergingCleveland.com

3) Straight Outta Mansfield The Foundling
www.CoolCleveland.com

4) BizTech News Capitol Square’s video billboards, ticker signs form vibrant montage.
www.ColumbusDispacth.com

5) NYE Cool Cleveland tells you where to go.
www.CoolCleveland.com

Happy New Year! Hurrahs to the entire CC staff for a great 2007. And hizzahs to our readers and everyone who partners with us. Want to volunteer and contribute your writing to Cool Cleveland? Send your reviews, articles, or story ideas to: Events@CoolCleveland.com.

Download the Cool Cleveland podcasts and videos each week at http://www.CoolCleveland.com
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Listen to Cool Cleveland on WCLV-FM 104.9 twice each Friday during drive time
Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com, and your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com
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Rockin’ Twenty-Oh-Eight,
–Thomas Mulready
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